Mosquitoes in Anoka and Carver counties have tested positive for West Nile virus for the first time this year.
On Thursday, the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District announced it had collected mosquito samples from the two counties that tested positive for the virus.
The findings suggest West Nile activity is starting to pick up in the area. Officials say the timing of the positive tests aligns with when mosquitoes have historically first shown signs of the virus.
According to the Minnesota Department of Health, West Nile virus has become increasingly widespread in the state since it was first detected in 2002.
The type of mosquito most likely to carry the virus is typically found in open areas like farmland and prairie.
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