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

By Andrew Rothaus, Founder · September 6, 2026 · Updated October 2, 2026

Short answer: Yes. NYC Health's Summary Data page, read on October 2, 2026, lists 1,769 positive mosquito pools, 29 cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease and 6 cases of West Nile fever for the year. No spraying is scheduled right now: the city's Mosquito Control page says there are no events currently scheduled, and its most recent spraying was scheduled for September 21 and 23.

Is West Nile virus in NYC right now?

Yes. NYC Health's Summary Data page, read on October 2, 2026, lists 1,769 West Nile positive mosquito pools for 2026, 29 New York City residents reported with West Nile neuroinvasive disease, and 6 reported with West Nile fever. When we first read the page on September 6, those figures were 1,568, 9 and 3. The page prints no "as of" date, so treat these 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 publishes its own count, which confuses people reading two sources at once. In its statewide report dated September 28, 2026, covering January 10 through September 26, the New York State Department of Health reported 34 human West Nile cases in New York City and 20 outside it. The same report counted 1,757 positive mosquito pools from New York City counties and 393 from the rest of the state. The state says its New York City data are derived from the city health department's website, and 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 29, and the CDC says that state and local health departments may have more up-to-date information than what it presents.

Which boroughs have the most West Nile positive mosquitoes?

Queens, then Staten Island. Queens has 668 positive mosquito pools and Staten Island 441. The human cases fall differently: Brooklyn has the most reported neuroinvasive cases, 10. Every figure below is as posted on NYC Health's Summary Data page when we read it on October 2, 2026.

Source: NYC Health, West Nile Virus Summary Data, 2026 Positive Results Summary, as posted when we read it on October 2, 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.

Is NYC still spraying for mosquitoes?

Nothing is scheduled right now. NYC Health's Mosquito Control page, read on October 2, 2026, says under Next Scheduled Events: "There are no events currently scheduled." The most recent spraying was scheduled for parts of Manhattan on Monday, September 21, from 11:30 p.m. until 6:00 a.m., and for parts of Brooklyn and Queens on Wednesday, September 23, from 8:30 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. The page notes that the September 23 spraying was only partially completed due to low nighttime temperatures. The notice for those nights said the Health Department would apply Duet, an EPA-registered mosquito control product, using truck-mounted equipment.

Earlier in September, the page lists completed spraying on September 8 and 10 in the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island, and the following week's notice scheduled Brooklyn for September 14 and Queens for September 16.

If spraying resumes, the city says it will warn you first. NYC Health says it alerts the public of a pesticide application at least 24 hours before the event, and that you can register to receive direct alerts through Notify NYC.

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: 29 New Yorkers on the page as we read it on October 2, 2026.

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. An 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?

October, by the city's own calendar. NYC Health says mosquito season in New York City occurs between April and October, and the CDC says people get infected during mosquito season, which starts in the summer and continues through fall, typically June through October. The CDC says diagnoses typically peak in late August to early September. In a September 10 spraying notice, NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister F. Martin put it this way: "Mosquito season isn't over just because summer is winding down." 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. Our mosquito season guide explains what actually ends a season.

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

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. Its 2026 truck spraying notices, most recently for September 21 and 23, named Duet, an EPA-registered mosquito control product applied with truck-mounted equipment. 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.

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

As posted on NYC Health's Summary Data page on October 2, 2026: 29 cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease and 6 cases of West Nile fever, with positive blood donors tracked separately and not counted. The state's report dated September 28, 2026 listed 34 New York City cases, and the state says its New York City data are derived from the city health department's website, so the city page is the primary count.

Is NYC still spraying for mosquitoes?

Nothing is scheduled as of October 2, 2026. NYC Health's Mosquito Control page says there are no events currently scheduled. Its most recent spraying was scheduled for September 21 in parts of Manhattan and September 23 in parts of Brooklyn and Queens. The city says it alerts the public at least 24 hours before a pesticide application.

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). Its label lists up to 14 hours of protection from mosquitoes and ticks, including mosquitoes that may transmit West Nile virus.

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. CDC, West Nile Virus Current Year Data (2026). https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/data-maps/current-year-data.html
3. CDC, About West Nile Virus. https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/about/index.html
4. 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
5. NYC Health, Mosquito Control (spray schedule). https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/west-nile-virus-spray.page
6. CDC, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment of West Nile Virus Disease. https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/symptoms-diagnosis-treatment/index.html
7. NYC Health, West Nile Virus. https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/west-nile-virus.page
8. CDC, Preventing West Nile Virus. https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/prevention/index.html
9. New York State Department of Health, West Nile Virus. https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/west_nile_virus/
10. New York State Department of Health, Statewide Mosquito-Borne Disease Activity Report, September 28, 2026 (PDF). https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/mosquitoes/reports/2026/docs/mbi_report_2026_mmwr38.pdf
11. NYC Health, Notice of September 21 and 23 Mosquito Spraying (PDF, posted September 18, 2026). https://www.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/wnv/2026/wnv-notice-20260921.pdf
12. NYC Health, Notice of September 14 and 16 Mosquito Spraying (PDF). https://www.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/wnv/2026/wnv-notice-20260914.pdf

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