A West Nile virus case has been confirmed in Lexington, according to the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department.

West Nile virus is most commonly spread through the bite of an infected mosquito, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the contiguous United States.

The health department did not provide further information about the case, including when it was contracted. Most cases feature mild, flu-like symptoms, but some can become severe and result in hospitalization or death, according to the CDC.

More than 1,300 people in the U.S. develop severe symptoms from the virus each year, and more than 130 die, according to the CDC.

Because of the confirmed case, the health department will spray for mosquitoes Wednesday in the city’s 40505 and 40502 zip codes. Those include areas along East New Circle Road, such as the Bryan Station, Kenwick, Ashland and Chevy Chase neighborhoods.

The spraying will occur between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. unless wind speeds are more than 10 mph or the temperature is below 55 degrees. The temperature is predicted to get down into the low 60s Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, with wind speeds around or below 5 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

It also must not be raining or foggy for the mosquito spray treatment to occur, according to the health department.

The health department said it uses an EPA-approved spray called Duet for its mosquito treatment. The chemical causes resting mosquitoes to fly into the air and come into contact with the spray’s mosquito-killing agent, sumithrin.

The spray has been registered as safe for outdoor residential and recreational areas and has been tested for human and animal safety, according to the health department.

©2025 Lexington Herald-Leader. Visit at kentucky.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.