Houston’s warm, wet spring, driven in part by climate change, was a boon for mosquitoes and West Nile virus
Cars are submerged and the tops of mailboxes are visible along a residential street in Woodloch, 30 miles north of Houston as floodwaters rise Friday, May 3, 2024.As of mid-August, 24 people in Texas' Harris County had contracted the virus, and more than 600 mosquito samples tested positive for it. By contrast, over the past five years, the area saw fewer than 10 cases annually, and positive mosquito samples never rose above 320..
West Nile virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most people infected with the virus do not feel sick, but 1 in 5 develop a fever and other symptoms. Roughly 1 in 150 infected people develop serious or fatal illnesses, and infection can lead toIt can be hard to track climate change's influence on West Nile virus cases at a national level.
That was the case in Utah County, Utah, two years ago when snow pack hit a 175-year record high. Local officials knew that could spell trouble when the snow melted and water rushed into areas that were usually dry, activating mosquito eggs that had laid dormant for years.
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