West Nile Virus Found in Laredo Mosquito Sample; No Human Cases Reported

A mosquito pool collected near the 5100 block of East Saunders Street tested positive for West Nile virus, Laredo health officials said. The finding was in mosquitoes, not a reported human infection.

The latest Texas Department of State Health Services report available for publication, covering the week ending July 25, 2026, lists one West Nile mosquito report in Webb County and no reported human West Nile cases there for that reporting period. DSHS says its weekly reports are preliminary snapshots that may change after quality review.

What officials found

The positive pool came from mosquitoes collected in the East Saunders Street area, according to a July 24 report by KGNS. A positive mosquito pool means the virus was detected in the mosquitoes tested. It does not establish that a person in Laredo or Webb County has contracted West Nile virus.

KGNS reported that local officials said no human cases had been reported in Laredo or elsewhere in Webb County as of July 24. The subsequent DSHS report covering the week ending July 25 also shows no reported human West Nile cases for Webb County in that report.

How Laredo is responding

Laredo’s Environmental Health Division said it would continue mosquito surveillance and targeted mosquito-control work. The local response reported by KGNS includes spraying at dusk, when mosquitoes that spread West Nile virus are most active. That does not mean spraying covers every neighborhood.

The city health department’s mosquito-prevention guidance says community protection also depends on reducing breeding areas around homes and limiting mosquito bites.

Steps residents can take

Residents should drain standing water in and around their homes. The City of Laredo Health Department identifies flowerpots, toys, birdbaths, kiddie pools, old tires, gutters, storm drains and other containers or low areas as places where water can collect. Pools and ponds should be cleaned and maintained, and low spots that hold water can be leveled when possible.

The department advises using an EPA-approved insect repellent, wearing long, loose and light-colored clothing, and limiting outdoor activity around dawn and dusk. Window and door screens should be kept in good repair.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gives similar advice: use an EPA-registered repellent, wear long sleeves and pants, avoid outdoor exposure between dusk and dawn when possible, and use screens or air conditioning to keep mosquitoes outside.

What happens next

The positive mosquito result is a local surveillance signal during mosquito season, not a confirmed human case or declaration of an outbreak. Laredo officials said surveillance and targeted mosquito-control efforts will continue. Residents should check updated information from the City of Laredo Health Department and Texas DSHS because weekly surveillance data can change.

Sources

• KGNS report on the Laredo mosquito sample
• City of Laredo Health Department mosquito-prevention guidance
• Texas DSHS 2026 Arbovirus Activity Report, Week 29
• CDC prevention guidance for West Nile virus