Mosquitoes with West Nile Virus Found in Southeastern Oklahoma

DURANT, Okla. – The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (CNO), in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH), has expanded its mosquito surveillance efforts across the reservation to monitor and mitigate the risk of mosquito-borne illnesses—including West Nile Virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV). Mosquitoes in Bryan, LeFlore, and Coal counties tested positive for WNV as of early August.

The initiative builds on groundwork laid in 2024, with enhanced support this year from CDC field experts and entomologists. Their visit focused on helping identify optimal trap sites and to improve specimen collection procedures throughout the Choctaw Nation’s reservation.

Choctaw Nation Environmental Protection Services and public health teams place mosquito traps across tribal lands and collect specimens weekly. These are shipped to CDC labs for species identification and viral testing. While there’s no set minimum for triggering alerts, any positive mosquito pool result prompts a public health advisory to alert and protect the community.

Although the CDC does not release rate-based data, the Choctaw Nation entered into a data-sharing agreement this year with the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) to ensure mosquito surveillance data is shared between agencies. This partnership allows for more responsive public health actions across southeastern Oklahoma.

No human cases of WNV or EEEV have been confirmed this season within the Choctaw Nation, but officials are emphasizing early detection and prevention.

“We’re casting a wide net,” Mason Emert, epidemiologist for Choctaw Nation said. “Our goal isn’t to collect a specific number of mosquitoes, it’s to collect as many as possible to protect our people. That’s why the CDC’s guidance is so important.”

Choctaw Nation Public Health officials continue to promote prevention strategies to reduce the risk of mosquito-borne infections, including the CDC’s recommended “Four Ds”:

• Drain standing water
• Dress in long sleeves and pants
• Avoid outdoor activity at dusk and dawn
• Use DEET or other EPA-registered insect repellents

“West Nile and EEEV can both cause severe illness in rare cases,” said Rikki LaRoche, Public Health Director for CNO. “Our surveillance helps us act before that happens. We’re committed to protecting the health of tribal members and all residents across our lands.”

More information about the state’s surveillance program and data can be found at Oklahoma.gov. More information on vector-borne diseases and Choctaw Nation’s efforts can be found at “Fight the Bite”.

Note for media:
Although the mosquito trapping process is typically conducted without public or media accompaniment due to its scientific sensitivity, a demonstration trap may be made available in Durant later this summer to help educate the public on the process and its importance. Updates will be provided as scheduling allows.