Public health officials Friday announced they had detected the presence of West Nile Virus in a mosquito on the Vineyard for the first time this year. 

The Edgartown board of health sent an alert out Friday saying that the mosquito was collected in Edgartown near the town cemetery. The mosquito was collected on Tuesday, according to the state Department of Public Health. 

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.

Still, it is not prevalent on the Island. 

“It’s uncommon to get a positive West Nile mosquito, but it does happen,” said Patrick Roden-Reynolds, the Island’s public health biologist and the coordinator of the mosquito surveillance program. 

The virus can be dangerous to humans and symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea and rash. There are no vaccines to prevent or medicines to treat West Nile in people, and the board of health suggested people reduce the risk of mosquito bites by wearing repellant during peak mosquito months. The board also recommended wearing long sleeves and pants when outdoors. 

Mr. Roden-Reynolds also urged people to be on the lookout for places outside that could catch water and turn into a mosquito breeding ground. Old tires, unattended bird baths and tarps can all be mosquito hotspots and reducing them can cut down on the chances of growing West Nile. 

Along with the state, Mr. Roden-Reynolds does weekly surveillance in all six Island towns, and the last found mosquitoes positive with West Nile Virus in 2022. There were no cases in 2023.

State records indicate that the risk of West Nile Virus in all six towns is low, and the risk of eastern equine encephalitis, another mosquito-borne disease, is remote. 

West Nile Virus has also been found in Quincy, Cambridge, Rockland and Hanson so far this year. 

After the positive test, Edgartown vowed to continue sampling to assess the risk to the Island.