A Valencia County resident has been infected by West Nile virus, marking the first confirmed human case of the disease in New Mexico in 2025, the state Department of Health announced Thursday.

The infected person was hospitalized but has been discharged, according to the department. West Nile virus was also identified in three horses in Lea and Eddy counties earlier this year.

The Department of Health issued a mosquito-borne illness advisory last month warning residents to take precautions against mosquito bites amid the threat of West Nile virus, a disease spread by the bugs.

State data shows cases of West Nile virus in New Mexico range from a handful to a few dozen each year, often peaking in July and August.

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