UNDATED (LEARFIELD) – The first cases of West Nile virus have been confirmed in Minnesota, about a month later than usual.
Mike McLean (muh-KLANE) with Metropolitan Mosquito Control says West Nile cases are most common in southern and western Minnesota.
“Primarily from the Twin Cities west to the western part of the state, and then into the Dakotas as well,” said McLean. “The types of mosquitoes that spread West Nile Virus do very well in prairie areas.”
He notes that the mosquitoes that carry the disease are not the typical mosquito.
“They’re not the majority of mosquitoes that are out there, so we look for them in specific habitats, a lot of times around prairies and that kind of thing,” said McLean.
McLean says mosquitoes get the virus by feeding on infected birds.
