West Nile virus footprint expands in San Diego County

Paul Sisson, The San Diego Union-Tribune on Sep 10, 2025

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SAN DIEGO — The West Nile virus threat continues to increase in San Diego County this week, with routine monitoring picking up the presence of the pathogen in San Diego’s City Heights and Skyline neighborhoods. The latest detection comes a little more than one month after workers sprayed about 4,000 parcels in the Rolando neighborhood just south and east of San Diego State University and parts of La Mesa in East County.

Though no human cases have yet been confirmed, the summer of 2025 is the first time since 2023 that local mosquitoes and birds have tested positive for West Nile during routine monitoring.

“We are seeing more West Nile virus activity this year than we have in the last several years,” said county communications specialist Donna Durckel in an email. “West Nile virus trends are cyclical and influenced by several factors, including weather conditions.”

The county’s Vector Control Program is treating mosquito breeding grounds in the area, though no direct spraying of neighborhoods has yet been announced as was the case in July for Rolando and La Mesa.

In addition to guarding against mosquito bites by using insect repellent outdoors and wearing long-sleeve shirts and pants, eliminating all sources of standing water on properties where mosquitoes can reproduce is the preferred way to limit West Nile risk.

County residents who are struggling to eliminate mosquitoes on their properties can request mosquito inspections, which Vector Control offers free of charge. Information is available at (858) 694-2888 or by emailing vector@sdcounty.ca.gov. Requests can also be made through the county’s “Tell Us Now!” app available on Apple and Android smartphones and tablet computers.

The signs of West Nile infection include: headache, fever, nausea, fatigue, skin rash, and swollen glands. Though the disease usually resolves itself without major illness, it can, in rare cases, cause hospitalization and death.