The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is urging Milwaukee residents to take precautions against mosquito bites after confirming the first mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus this year in the state were identified in the city. 

The mosquitoes, collected as part of the state’s surveillance program, tested positive for the virus. 

“The detection of West Nile virus in Milwaukee mosquitoes is an important reminder that mosquito season is here, and residents should take simple steps to protect themselves and their families,” Milwaukee Health Commissioner Mike Totoraitis said in a statement. “Using insect repellent, limiting exposure during peak mosquito activity and removing standing water around your home can all help reduce your risk.”

No human cases have been reported in Wisconsin in 2026.

Here is what you need to know

West Nile virus is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito.The virus cannot be spread from person to person or through contact with animals.

Most people infected with West Nile virus do not become sick. 

Those who develop symptoms may experience fever, headache, muscle aches, rash and fatigue, according to the Department of Health Services. In rare cases, the virus can cause serious neurological effects, including high fever, stiff neck, confusion, muscle weakness, paralysis, seizures and coma. 

Older adults and people with weakened immune systems face the greatest risk of severe illness. Anyone who thinks they may have symptoms of West Nile virus should contact a health provider.

Health officials say human cases typically occur between June and October, with most illnesses reported in August and September. The risk of contracting the virus remains until the first frost significantly reduces mosquito activity.

How to protect yourself

The Milwaukee Health Department recommends several steps to reduce the risk of mosquito bites:

• Apply an EPA-registered insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535.
• Wear long sleeves, long pants and socks when spending time outdoors.
• Limit outdoor activities during dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus are most active.
• Treat clothing with permethrin, an insecticide, before heading outdoors. Do not apply permethrin directly to your skin.

Reduce mosquitoes around your home

Residents also can help eliminate mosquito breeding sites by:

• Emptying standing water from flower pots, buckets, tires, gutters and other containers.
• Turning over kiddie pools, wheelbarrows and small boats when they are not in use.
• Changing water in bird baths and pet dishes at least every three days.
• Keeping swimming pools, hot tubs and outdoor spas clean and properly chlorinated.
• Repairing window and door screens to keep mosquitoes out of the home.
• Trimming tall grass, weeds and overgrown vegetation where mosquitoes often rest.

For more information about West Nile virus and mosquito bite prevention, visit the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website.

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Mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus found in Milwaukee. Here’s how to protect yourself.

by PrincessSafiya Byers, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
July 14, 2026

<h1>Mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus found in Milwaukee. Here’s how to protect yourself.</h1> <p class="byline">by PrincessSafiya Byers, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service <br />July 14, 2026</p> <p>The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is urging Milwaukee residents to take precautions against mosquito bites after confirming the first mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus this year in the state were identified in the city.&nbsp;</p> <p>The mosquitoes, collected as part of the state's surveillance program, tested positive for the virus.&nbsp;</p> <p>"The detection of West Nile virus in Milwaukee mosquitoes is an important reminder that mosquito season is here, and residents should take simple steps to protect themselves and their families," Milwaukee Health Commissioner Mike Totoraitis said in a statement. "Using insect repellent, limiting exposure during peak mosquito activity and removing standing water around your home can all help reduce your risk."</p> <p>No human cases have been reported in Wisconsin in 2026.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Here is what you need to know</strong></h2> <p>West Nile virus is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito.The virus cannot be spread from person to person or through contact with animals.</p> <p>Most people infected with West Nile virus do not become sick.&nbsp;</p> <p>Those who develop symptoms may experience fever, headache, muscle aches, rash and fatigue, according to the Department of Health Services. In rare cases, the virus can cause serious neurological effects, including high fever, stiff neck, confusion, muscle weakness, paralysis, seizures and coma.&nbsp;</p> <p>Older adults and people with weakened immune systems face the greatest risk of severe illness. Anyone who thinks they may have symptoms of West Nile virus should contact a health provider.</p> <p>Health officials say human cases typically occur between June and October, with most illnesses reported in August and September. The risk of contracting the virus remains until the first frost significantly reduces mosquito activity.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>How to protect yourself</strong></h2> <p>The Milwaukee Health Department recommends several steps to reduce the risk of mosquito bites:</p> <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Apply an EPA-registered insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535.</li> <li>Wear long sleeves, long pants and socks when spending time outdoors.</li> <li>Limit outdoor activities during dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus are most active.</li> <li>Treat clothing with <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/prevention/about-permethrin-treated-clothing-and-gear.html">permethrin</a>, an insecticide, before heading outdoors. Do not apply permethrin directly to your skin.</li> </ul> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Reduce mosquitoes around your home</strong></h2> <p>Residents also can help eliminate mosquito breeding sites by:</p> <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Emptying standing water from flower pots, buckets, tires, gutters and other containers.</li> <li>Turning over kiddie pools, wheelbarrows and small boats when they are not in use.</li> <li>Changing water in bird baths and pet dishes at least every three days.</li> <li>Keeping swimming pools, hot tubs and outdoor spas clean and properly chlorinated.</li> <li>Repairing window and door screens to keep mosquitoes out of the home.</li> <li>Trimming tall grass, weeds and overgrown vegetation where mosquitoes often rest.</li> </ul> <p>For more information about West Nile virus and mosquito bite prevention, visit <a href="https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/mosquito/wnv.htm">the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website.</a></p> <p>This &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://milwaukeenns.org/2026/07/14/mosquitoes-carrying-west-nile-virus-found-in-milwaukee-heres-how-to-protect-yourself/&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt; first appeared on &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://milwaukeenns.org&quot;&gt;Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service&lt;/a&gt; and is republished here under a &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/&quot;&gt;Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;img src=&quot;https://i0.wp.com/milwaukeenns.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cropped-NNS-Favicon.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;amp;ssl=1&quot; style=&quot;width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;&quot;&gt;</p> &lt;img id=&quot;republication-tracker-tool-source&quot; src=&quot;https://milwaukeenns.org/?republication-pixel=true&amp;post=169224&amp;amp;ga4=G-HGM4XK3QCM&quot; style=&quot;width:1px;height:1px;&quot;&gt;&lt;script&gt; PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: &quot;https://milwaukeenns.org/2026/07/14/mosquitoes-carrying-west-nile-virus-found-in-milwaukee-heres-how-to-protect-yourself/&quot;, urlref: window.location.href }); } } &lt;/script&gt; &lt;script id=&quot;parsely-cfg&quot; src=&quot;//cdn.parsely.com/keys/milwaukeenns.org/p.js&quot;&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

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