New Mexico warns residents after West Nile virus detected in Bernalillo County
West Nile-infected mosquitoes were found near the Rio Grande in Bernalillo County. Sandoval County commuters and river users were told to watch for standing water and mosquito bites.
Mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus were detected June 23 in Bernalillo County. Sandoval County residents who commute into Albuquerque, use the Rio Grande corridor, or live near standing water should take mosquito precautions now.
The New Mexico Department of Health collected the infected mosquitoes through routine monitoring near the Rio Grande, and the University of New Mexico Center for Global Health confirmed them. The city of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County run a joint mosquito control program across Bernalillo County. Trapping and testing serve as an early warning system before human cases appear.
No human West Nile cases had been recorded in New Mexico so far in 2026, but the New Mexico Department of Health recorded 52 human cases and 11 deaths in 2025.
West Nile has occurred in New Mexico every year since 2003, and infections in humans typically peak in late summer and early fall. The illness can range from a mild flu-like infection to severe neurologic disease that leads to hospitalization or death. The risk of severe illness is higher for older adults and people with underlying medical conditions.
The immediate response is to cut off breeding sites and avoid bites. Sandoval County residents should check yards, patios and neighborhood drainage areas for water that has collected in buckets, tires, plant saucers, tarps or other containers, then dump it out or drain it. Standing water gives mosquitoes a place to breed, and even small amounts can become a problem after rain or irrigation.
There is no licensed vaccine or medicine to prevent West Nile virus disease in people, so prevention depends on mosquito control and personal protection.
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