Adams County Mosquitoes test positive for West Nile Virus and Cache Valley Virus
September 25, 2026
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Hastings, Nebraska – The district health department for Adams, Clay, Nuckolls and Webster counties is notifying residents that more mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile virus and Cache Valley virus were trapped on September 15, 2026.
South Heartland District Health Department (SHDHD) executive director Michele Bever encourages residents across the district’s counties to ‘Fight the Bite’ to prevent illnesses carried by mosquitoes.
Bever reported 1 sample (pool) of mosquitoes collected in the southeast Hastings area of Adams County on September 15 tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV) and 3 samples tested positive for Cache Valley Virus (CVV). The department had previously reported WNV-positive and CVV-positive mosquitoes trapped on July 21 and September 11, and WNV-positive mosquitoes trapped on August 4 and 19, and September 11.
To date in 2026, a total of 32 cases of West Nile infection have been identified in Nebraskans through clinical positive results. The first WNV death during 2026 was reported in Lancaster County earlier this month. 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 said NE DHHS encourages Nebraskans to follow these steps 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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