Mosquitoes carrying a potentially serious virus have been detected in Midland County, according to city health service officials.
The City of Midland announcedon Friday that mosquitoes carrying the Saint Louis Encephalitis virus (SLEV) have been detected in Midland County for the <a href="https://healthylife7.com/el-paso-reports-first-west-nile-virus-death-2026/” title=”El Paso reports first West Nile virus death 2026″>first time this year. Testing on samples collected from mosquito traps placed throughout the county found multiple instances of positive SLEV results.
Most people infected with SLEV show no symptoms, but in some cases, neurological diseases can develop, such as encephalitis which causes inflammation of the brain or meningitis which causes inflammation of membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.
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The virus is not spread through human-to-human contact. Most infections in humans stem from mosquitoes that have recently fed on infected birds.
Signs of infection in people can include fever, nausea, vomiting, headaches and fatigue.
In rare cases, an infection can result in long-term disability or death. Those over the age of 55 and individuals with underlying health conditions are at higher risk for serious illness.
The city also included in the release tips for minimizing exposure to mosquito bites, including wearing clothing that limits skin exposure, wearing effective sunscreen, and limiting outdoor activities during sunrise and sunset times, and keeping mosquitoes out of indoor living areas.
