54 West Nile Virus Deaths In Maricopa County In 2021 So Far

PHOENIX, AZ — West Nile virus has killed 54 people in Maricopa County this year, according to the Maricopa County Department of Public Health.

The confirmed case count in the county was 704 as of Friday, with 713 additional probable cases under review, according to health department statistics.

In 2020, there were only three confirmed cases and one West Nile virus death in Maricopa County.

This year, the Valley had a relatively wet Monsoon, with a total of 4.2 inches of rain and 23 days with precipitation, according to the National Weather Service. This contributed to a much more active mosquito population in 2021 compared to 2020's extraordinarily hot and dry summer.

The vast majority of West Nile virus cases and deaths were in Maricopa County, the state's most populous county. Across the state, there have been a total of 763 confirmed and probable cases and 57 deaths, according to the Arizona Department of Public Health.