For the second time this summer, public health officials detected West Nile virus in a mosquito in Edgartown. 

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health detected the first mosquito on July 12 and the second was on Wednesday. Both were found during routine surveillance at the Edgartown cemetery.

West Nile Virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States, and it is commonly spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Massachusetts Public Health Department monitors mosquitos in all six towns and maintains that the risk of contracting the virus is low.

Still, the department recommends taking precautionary measures. 

It advises people apply insect repellent, such as DEET, when outdoors, especially between the hours of dusk and dawn. Wearing long-sleeved shirts, pants that cuff at the ankle and socks will reduce exposure to mosquito bites. 

Before the two recent mosquitos found this summer, West Nile Virus hadn’t been detected on the Island since 2022. That summer, two mosquitoes were found with the virus, also in Edgartown cemetery.

Patrick Roden-Reynolds, an Island public health biologist and mosquito surveillance coordinator, said he didn’t know why the virus is more prevalent in Edgartown than other Island towns, but that the department is looking into it.

“Other traps in other towns, like the Vineyard Haven trap I set, by far attracts way more mosquitos than the Edgartown trap,” Mr. Roden-Reynolds said. “But for some reason most of the positive samples come from that site in Edgartown. It’s something I’m going to look more into.”

Mosquitoes hibernate when the weather gets colder and Mr. Roden-Reynolds said they’ve already started to see the numbers declining. The department stops collecting samples in October.