US CDC warns early and intense West Nile virus season

The United States is experiencing the earliest start to West Nile virus activity in more than two decades, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). By June 30, 48 cases had been reported, 38 of them (nearly 80%) neuroinvasive, a severe form that affects the brain and spinal cord. Activity has been detected in 23 states, the highest number for this time of year in a decade.

Health officials stress the heightened risk for adults over 60 and urge mosquito‑bite prevention. Dr. Peter Hotez, an infectious‑disease specialist in Houston, cited former NIAID director Dr. Anthony Fauci’s own severe illness after contracting West Nile in 2024 as a warning. CDC vector‑disease director Dr. Lyle Petersen, who himself fell ill while leading the agency’s response, described his experience of prolonged fatigue and warned that the true number of infections could be roughly thirty times the reported figure.

Arizona’s Maricopa County appears hardest hit, with 29 confirmed cases and four deaths, far above the previous year’s totals. The CDC cautions that the early surge may signal a more severe season and recommends protective measures against mosquito bites.