HASTINGS, Neb. – A new sample from the South Heartland District Health Department show some mosquitoes in Adams County are infected with an extremely rare virus. 

In a Friday news release, the SHDHD reports two samples of mosquitoes tested positive for West Nile virus, and a third sample tested positive for Cache Valley virus. 

According to SHDHD data, 11 of 90 sampled pools tested positive for WNV in 2025, but this is the first of 36 separate pools to test positive for CVV. 

Looking at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Mosquito Surveillance Map, mosquitoes containing CVV have previously been detected in the East Central District Health Department in Platte County, and the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department in 2025.

The state of Nebraska has only started testing for Cache Valley virus since 2024. 

CVV is endemic to the U.S. and, like WNV, is spread to people by infected mosquitoes.

Human disease from CVV is rare with under 10 cases ever reported in the U.S, according to the DHHS. It has never infected a human in Nebraska, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC reports Cache Valley virus can cause an illness with fever or more severe disease, including infection of the brain (encephalitis) or the lining around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis). Initial symptoms can include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and sometimes rash.

CVV is also known to cause reproductive disease in animals, primarily sheep, but also cattle and goats leading to stillbirths and birth defects in those animals if they are infected in a specific period during pregnancy.

As with West Nile illness, there are no vaccines to prevent or medicines to treat CVV.

The City of Hastings began adulticide fogging efforts Wednesday evening and continued those efforts Thursday early morning.

City officials say adulticide fogging would continue in parks, around schools, and roadways in the evening and early morning time frames when weather allows. In addition to fogging, larvicide treatments are taking place to treat standing water areas.

During the city of Hastings' weekly Thursday update with Mayor Jay Beckby, he said mosquito fogging took place at the Smith Softball complex, the city cemetery, the Hastings Municipal Airport, and Duncan Field. 

The Hastings Parks and Rec Department used to have two seasonal part-time employees to spray for mosquitoes in the summer, but those positions were eliminated due to budget cuts 'several years ago', according to Mayor Beckby.

Hastings Parks and Rec Superintendent Terry Brown is the city's licensed sprayer, and carried out the fogging this week.

The SHDHD recommends using an EPA-registered repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.