One person from Symmes Township has contracted West Nile virus, Hamilton County Public Health officials said, marking the county's first confirmed case in 2026. The department is treating the infection as likely acquired from a mosquito in the area, according to officials.
Hamilton County Public Health began investigating the case on Sept. 17 and later received confirmation that the resident had West Nile virus. Officials have since been reviewing the patient's medical history and recent activities to determine whether transmission happened locally. Environmental specialists surveyed mosquitoes near the home and treated standing water to reduce breeding sites, the department said.
County surveillance this year detected West Nile virus in only one sample pool of mosquitoes, found in Green Township on July 30. Health officials said that sample has since been trapped.
Dr. Stephen Feagins, medical director at Hamilton County Public Health, said most people can manage West Nile virus, but immunocompromised patients may develop severe illness affecting the brain and spinal cord. He said avoiding infected mosquito bites and seeking care for symptoms are important.
The department warns mosquitoes remain active in autumn despite summer ending. Officials recommend residents drain standing water, use larvicide dunks where water cannot be drained, and wear loose, light-colored clothing with EPA-registered repellent, especially at dawn and dusk.