08/13/2026
We've been fielding a lot of questions about why, when there isn't much water, we are seeing more West Nile Virus this year. We've created an image to help answer the question. It has to do with a mechanism called spatial convergence. When resources become scarce, mosquito and bird populations are forced closer together as they search for limited resources, such as water. This increased proximity creates more opportunities for virus transmission and amplification.
We often use the analogy of placing 99 healthy people in a room with one person who has a cold versus placing 1,000 healthy people in a large field with one person who has a cold. Even though there are fewer people in the room, the likelihood of individuals contracting the cold is substantially higher because of the close quarters. The same principle applies here: when mosquitoes and birds are concentrated around limited water sources, transmission rates increase, and the virus can amplify more rapidly.
That is why it is especially important, especially during this time of year, that you protect yourself by using mosquito repellent and eliminating standing water around your homes.
For any questions, please feel free to reach out to us.
