South Heartland District Health Department

More Adams County Mosquitoes Test Positive in Final Trapping for 2026

October 13, 2026

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Hastings, Nebraska – South Heartland District Health Department (SHDHD) reported mosquitoes trapped on September 29, the final collection date of the department’s 2026 mosquito surveillance season, tested positive for West Nile virus and Cache Valley virus.

SHDHD executive director Michele Bever reported three samples (pools) of mosquitoes collected from two sites in the Hastings area of Adams County on September 29 tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV). In addition, one sample from a third site tested positive for Cache Valley Virus (CVV). The department has previously reported WNV-positive and/or CVV-positive mosquitoes trapped in Adams County through the months of July-September, beginning with mosquitoes collected on July 21, 2026.

To date in 2026, a total of 37 cases of West Nile infection have been identified in Nebraskans through clinical positive results. Sixteen of the human cases were neuroinvasive, meaning they had more severe symptoms requiring hospitalization. One WNV death has been reported in 2026.  A map of West Nile virus human clinical cases by local health department is available on the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (NE DHHS) webpage at https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/West-Nile-Virus-Data.aspx.

Bever encourages residents to follow the NE DHHS recommendations to avoid mosquito bites:

Use Insect Repellent
Use Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellents with one of the active ingredients below. When used as directed, EPA-registered insect repellents are proven safe and effective, even for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

• DEET
• Picaridin (known as KBR 3023)
• IR3535
• Oil of lemon eucalyptus
• Para-menthane-diol
• 2-undecanone 

Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants
Use 0.5 percent permethrin to treat clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents) or buy permethrin-treated clothing and gear. Permethrin is an insecticide that kills or repels mosquitoes. Do not use permethrin products directly on the skin.

Take extra precautions when going outdoors at dawn and dusk
Dawn and dusk are when mosquitoes are most active.

Take steps to control mosquitoes indoors and outdoors

• Use screens on windows and doors. Repair holes in screens to keep mosquitoes outdoors.
• Use air conditioning, if available.
• Stop mosquitoes from laying eggs in or near water.
  • Once a week, empty and scrub, turn over, cover, or throw out items that hold water, such as tires, buckets, planters, toys, pools, birdbaths, flowerpots, or trash containers.
  • Check for water-holding containers both indoors and outdoors. 

Nebraska local health departments partner with the Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services (NDHHS) to trap and test mosquitoes in the counties designated by NDHHS. Adams County is the designated trapping county in the South Heartland health district, which includes Adams, Clay, Nuckolls and Webster counties. Trapping occurs every other week, typically ending in late September. For more information, visit southheartlandhealth.ne.gov or call 1-877-238-7595; or visit the NDHHS webpage for West Nile Virus & Mosquito Surveillance Data: dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/West-Nile-Virus-Data.aspx.

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