First West Nile Virus Case of 2026 Confirmed in Allen County
ALLEN COUNTY — Indiana has reported its first case of West Nile virus in 2026.
On Friday, the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) confirmed the case with someone in Allen County near Fort Wayne. Last year, the state reported 39 West Nile virus cases.
According to IDOH data, mosquito testing shows West Nile virus has been detected in 33 Indiana counties. The health department said the risk of West Nile in mosquitoes across the state is “elevated.”
“All Hoosiers should take precautions to prevent mosquito bites while outdoors,” said State Health Commissioner Lindsay Weaver, M.D., FACEP. “The risk for mosquito-borne diseases won’t go away until the first hard freeze this fall.”
Most people infected with West Nile virus do not have any symptoms, but some could develop flu-like symptoms or severe inflammation in the brain, spinal cord, or other parts of the nervous system. People over 60 and those with weakened immune systems are the most at risk.
To protect yourself from the virus, health officials recommend using repellent, wearing loose, long-sleeved shirts and pants, dumping standing water around your home, mowing your yard, and cleaning out gutters.
Floyd County’s health department said on Friday that more mosquitoes tested positive for West Nile virus in southern Indiana earlier this month.
Mosquitoes in Indiana have been more common ever since the severe storms and flooding from early August.
