Human case of West Nile Virus found Box Elder in earliest start of disease's season since 2004

Box Elder News Journal's Podcast · Jul 8, 2026 · 2m

The first human case of West Nile virus in the Bear River Health District, which includes Box Elder, Cache and Rich counties, has been found in Box Elder, prompting officials to remind residents how to stay safe this summer. The culex species of mosquitos, the transmission vector of West Nile virus to humans, benefitted from an extremely mild winter that allowed them to survive in adult form with little mortality. “Because of such a healthy head start, combined with favorable environmental conditions, mosquito populations have been able to thrive,” said Tyson Packer, director of Box Elder…