West Nile Virus in NYC: 2026 Case Counts, Spray Schedule, and How to Protect Yourself

By Andrew Rothaus, Founder · September 6, 2026

Short answer: Yes. NYC Health's Summary Data page, read on September 6, 2026, lists 1,568 positive mosquito pools, 9 cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease and 3 cases of West Nile fever for the year. NYC Health has scheduled spraying in parts of the Bronx on September 8 and parts of Queens and Staten Island on September 10.

Is West Nile virus in NYC right now?

Yes, and this is the part of the season when it shows. NYC Health's Summary Data page, read on September 6, 2026, lists 1,568 West Nile positive mosquito pools for 2026, 9 New York City residents reported with West Nile neuroinvasive disease, and 3 reported with West Nile fever. The page prints no "as of" date, so treat those figures as the count on the day we read them, and check the page for a newer number before you rely on it.

The two human rows are not the same illness. NYC Health counts neuroinvasive disease as cases of West Nile encephalitis, meningitis or acute flaccid paralysis, which it describes as severe muscle weakness associated with the infection. West Nile fever is the milder category: infection with mild to moderate illness and no evidence of central nervous system involvement. People whose donated blood tested positive are tracked separately and are not included in the human case count, because, as the Health Department explains, they do not meet the national case definition.

The state's numbers lag the city's, which confuses people reading two sources at once. In its statewide report dated September 1, 2026, the New York State Department of Health reported 5 human West Nile cases in New York City and 3 outside it. The same report counted 1,456 positive mosquito pools from New York City counties and 250 from the rest of the state. The state notes that the city reports its human cases directly to the CDC. Read the city's own page for the city's count, and expect the two files to disagree. The CDC's national surveillance page for 2026 was last updated September 1, and the CDC says the number of people diagnosed with West Nile typically peaks in late August to early September. In other words, this is the stretch of the season when the CDC expects diagnoses to be highest, so the numbers moving now are not a surprise.

Which boroughs have the most West Nile positive mosquitoes?

Queens, by a wide margin, then Staten Island. Every figure below is as posted on NYC Health's Summary Data page when we read it on September 6, 2026.

Source: NYC Health, West Nile Virus Summary Data, 2026 Positive Results Summary, as posted when we read it on September 6, 2026. NYC Health prints no as-of date on this page.

Two cautions from the Health Department itself. A human case is assigned to the borough where the patient lives, which may not be where the person was infected. And the city says the virus should be protected against in all areas of New York City, not only the ones where positive mosquitoes have been confirmed, because the virus is just as likely to be detected elsewhere. A low count in Manhattan is not a pass.

Where and when is NYC spraying for mosquitoes in September 2026?

Two nights, three boroughs. NYC Health has scheduled ground-based adulticide spraying in parts of the Bronx on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, and in parts of Queens and Staten Island on Thursday, September 10, 2026, between 8:30 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., weather permitting. If rain or high winds force a postponement, the Bronx application moves to Wednesday, September 9, and the Queens and Staten Island application to Monday, September 14, during the same hours. The Health Department is applying Duet, an EPA-registered mosquito control product, using truck-mounted equipment.

NYC Health's Mosquito Control page names the neighborhoods. In the Bronx: Belmont, Claremont, Claremont Village, Concourse Village, Crotona Park East, East Tremont, Fordham Heights, Forest Houses, Hunts Point, Longwood, Morrisania, Mott Haven, Mount Eden, Mount Hope, Port Morris, South Bronx, Tremont, West Bronx, West Farms and Van Nest. In Queens: Astoria, Astoria Heights, Ditmars Steinway, Dutch Kills, East Elmhurst, Hunters Point, Jackson Heights, Long Island City, Queensbridge Houses, Sunnyside Gardens and Woodside. In Staten Island: Castleton Corners, Edwin Markham Gardens, Fox Hills, Grymes Hills, Mid Island, New Brighton, Port Richmond, Randall Manor, Silver Lake, Sunnyside, Tompkinsville, Westerleigh and West Brighton. The page also carries the ZIP codes and the maps.

What should you do during mosquito spraying?

Stay in if you can. NYC Health tells residents to stay indoors during spraying when possible, and to stay inside if they have asthma or other respiratory conditions. Air conditioners can remain on; the Health Department says vents may be closed or set to the recirculate function as an added precaution. On the question everyone asks, the city's own statement is that no reported diseases in people or pets have been linked with the use of pesticides in its West Nile virus control efforts since 1999.

What are the symptoms of West Nile virus, and who is most at risk?

Most infections are silent. The CDC says most people infected with West Nile virus, about 80 percent, do not develop symptoms. About 20 percent develop flu-like symptoms such as a fever with headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash. Fewer than 1 percent develop severe illness that affects the central nervous system, requires hospitalization, or results in death. The city's neuroinvasive row is that central nervous system category, in nine New Yorkers so far this year.

NYC Health adds the local timing and the local risk. Symptoms, for those who get them, usually appear between two and 14 days after an infected mosquito bite, and can take longer to start in people with a weakened immune system. People 60 years and older are at the greatest risk of severe illness. For how the virus moves between birds, mosquitoes and people, and what the season looks like nationally, our West Nile virus explainer covers the CDC picture in full.

How do you avoid mosquito bites in New York City?

Start with the clock. NYC Health says the mosquitoes that carry West Nile bite around dusk and dawn, and that people with severely compromised immune systems should limit their time outdoors during those hours. The CDC says the same thing more bluntly: avoid being outside between dusk and dawn, when the mosquitoes that spread West Nile virus are most active. A September evening on a stoop or a patio is exactly that window.

Then the city's list. NYC Health says New Yorkers can reduce their risk of mosquito bites by using an EPA-registered insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus; wearing long sleeves and pants when outdoors in areas with high mosquito activity; and making sure windows and doors have properly fitted screens. Our field guide puts picaridin, DEET, oil of lemon eucalyptus and citronella side by side. The Health Department also tells New Yorkers to eliminate standing water around their homes, including water that collects in buckets, flowerpots, birdbaths, tarps, gutters and other containers, and standing water can be reported by calling 311. If the water is yours, the CDC's once-a-week routine is the fix; if it is a neighbor's or a vacant lot's, 311 is the number.

When does West Nile season end in New York?

Not yet. NYC Health says mosquito season in New York City occurs between April and October, and the CDC says diagnoses typically peak in late August to early September, which is now. The New York State Department of Health considers West Nile virus endemic in the state, generally found in at least part of it each summer, so this is a yearly pattern rather than a one-off. Expect the city's counts to keep moving into October; our mosquito season guide explains what actually ends a season, and why New York runs into late fall.

What should you do if you think you have West Nile virus?

Call your doctor. NYC Health says to contact your doctor if you develop West Nile symptoms, and that a doctor can run a blood test to determine whether you are infected. The CDC says to seek immediate medical attention for high fever, neck stiffness, muscle weakness, confusion or tremors. Know the limits going in: NYC Health says there is no treatment for West Nile and most people who become infected get better on their own, and the CDC says no licensed vaccines or medicines are available to prevent West Nile virus disease in people. NYC Health's line is simple: if you develop West Nile symptoms, contact your doctor. For the symptoms on the CDC's list, go now.

Common questions

How many West Nile virus cases has NYC reported in 2026?

As posted on NYC Health's Summary Data page on September 6, 2026: 9 cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease and 3 cases of West Nile fever, with positive blood donors tracked separately and not counted. The state's report dated September 1, 2026 listed 5 New York City cases, and the state notes that the city reports directly to the CDC, so read the city page for the city's own number.

Which NYC neighborhoods are being sprayed on September 8 and September 10?

The Bronx on September 8, including Belmont, Hunts Point, Morrisania, Mott Haven and Van Nest, and Queens and Staten Island on September 10, including Astoria, Jackson Heights, Long Island City and Woodside in Queens, and New Brighton, Port Richmond, Tompkinsville and West Brighton in Staten Island. Hours are 8:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., weather permitting, with rain dates of September 9 and September 14.

Is the mosquito spray harmful to people or pets?

NYC Health's statement is that no reported diseases in people or pets have been linked with the use of pesticides in its West Nile virus control efforts since 1999. The product is Duet, an EPA-registered mosquito control product applied by truck. The city still tells residents to stay indoors during spraying when possible, and to stay inside if they have asthma or other respiratory conditions.

What time of day do West Nile mosquitoes bite in New York City?

Around dusk and dawn, according to NYC Health, which says people with severely compromised immune systems should limit time outdoors then. The CDC's guidance is to avoid being outside between dusk and dawn, when the mosquitoes that spread West Nile virus are most active.

How do I report standing water in New York City?

Call 311. NYC Health says standing water can be reported that way, and asks New Yorkers to eliminate it around their own homes first, including water in buckets, flowerpots, birdbaths, tarps, gutters and other containers. If you have already been bitten, our guide to treating mosquito bites covers what helps.

About Longsleeve

The city's repellent guidance names active ingredients, not brands, and picaridin is one of the four it lists. Longsleeve is an EPA-registered picaridin lotion (EPA Reg. No. 101457-1). It repels mosquitoes and ticks for up to 14 hours.

None of this is medical advice. If you develop a rash or a fever after a bite, call your doctor and tell them what bit you.

Sources

1. NYC Health, West Nile Virus Summary Data. https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/west-nile-virus-reports.page
2. New York State Department of Health, Mosquito-Borne Illness Surveillance Report, September 1, 2026 (PDF). https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/mosquitoes/reports/2026/docs/mbi_report_2026_mmwr34.pdf
3. CDC, West Nile Virus Current Year Data (2026). https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/data-maps/current-year-data.html
4. CDC, About West Nile Virus. https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/about/index.html
5. NYC Health, Notice of September 8 and September 10 Mosquito Spraying (PDF, posted September 4, 2026). https://www.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/wnv/2026/wnv-notice-20260908.pdf
6. NYC Health, Mosquito Control (spray schedule). https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/west-nile-virus-spray.page
7. CDC, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment of West Nile Virus Disease. https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/symptoms-diagnosis-treatment/index.html
8. NYC Health, West Nile Virus. https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/west-nile-virus.page
9. CDC, Preventing West Nile Virus. https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/prevention/index.html
10. New York State Department of Health, West Nile Virus. https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/west_nile_virus/

Last reviewed 2026-09-06 · every claim on this page is sourced above