Magna Mosquito Abatement District MMAD has been testing mosquitoes every Tuesday and Thursday this summer and unfortunately we have found our first positive mosquitoes.

On July 30, 2024 two "mosquito pools" tested positive for West Nile Virus. One in Magna (11500 West 2100 South)  and one in West Valley City. (6400 West Parkway Blvd)  ("Mosquito pool" is the term used for a group of mosquitoes caught and tested out of a single trap; it is not related to swimming pools or pools of water.)

Update: October 2, 2024: To date we have found 19 total positive mosquito pools for WNV out of 672 pools tested.

WNV is endemic in Utah and this is the time of year we usually start finding it. MMAD will do our best to mitigate the number of mosquitoes people see but we would ask people to protect themselves as well. From dusk to dawn wear long sleeves when outdoors and wear mosquito repellent containing deet.

WNV can cause mild to severe illness and many people may not even know they have been infected. It is estimated that less than 1% of people infected with WNV will develop the neuroinvasive form of the disease, which can result in debilitating long-term complications or death. Symptoms of WNV infection appear within 2 to 14 days of a mosquito bite and include fever, headache and body aches. More severe infections mayinclude high fever, neck stiffness, disorientation, coma, tremors and muscle weakness or convulsions.

People over age 50 and people with weakened immune systems are at the highest risk of illness due to WNV, but anyone can become ill from the bite of an infected mosquito. WNV is not transmissible from person to person.

There is no specific treatment for WNV infection other than to treat symptoms. If you think you have WNV infection, contact your health care provider.

 If you have any questions, feel free to contact our office.