Los Angeles County Confirms 1st 2026 West Nile Death as California Logs 30 Cases

3 articles · Updated · KABC-TV · Aug 22

Los Angeles County reported its first West Nile virus death of 2026 after a San Fernando Valley resident was hospitalized with severe neurological illness.
Fifteen infections have been recorded in the county this year—excluding Long Beach and Pasadena—above the five-year average, with half of cases in the San Fernando Valley.
California said statewide activity has reached its highest level in five years: 30 human cases and three deaths had been reported across 13 counties as of Aug. 14.
Surveillance data point to unusually strong transmission, with virus detected in 32 counties, 24% of dead birds testing positive versus a 13% five-year average, and 8 of every 1,000 mosquitoes positive versus 5 historically.
County vector officials said the warmest winter on record helped West Nile activity start nearly two months early in Los Angeles County, prompting renewed calls for repellent, standing-water removal and intact window screens.