Environmental Health Supervisor Norfolk Department of Public Health, Virginia, United States
Abstract: On May 19, 2023, a single female Aedes aegypti was collected in a CDC light trap in Norfolk, Virginia. This marked the first record of Ae. aegypti found within the city in several decades. Norfolk lies within the Hampton Roads region, where the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay converge, and is well north of the established range of Ae. aegypti. The City of Norfolk Vector Control Program, managed by the Norfolk Department of Public Health, initiated enhanced surveillance following this detection. Subsequent expanded trapping with CDC light traps and BG Sentinel traps yielded 81 Ae. aegypti specimens in 2023, 31 in 2024, and 49 to date in 2025. These collections confirm that Ae. aegypti is now established within the city. This presentation will describe the surveillance methods used, summarize spatial and temporal trends in collections, and discuss potential introduction pathways. The reemergence and persistence of Ae. aegypti in Norfolk highlight the species’ capacity for northward range expansion and underscore the importance of sustained surveillance and rapid response in coastal urban environments.
