The glittering lights of Las Vegas beckon millions of visitors each year with promises of entertainment, luxury and desert escape. But there’s something the city’s sprawling hotel industry isn’t advertising in those glossy brochures: a rapidly growing mosquito crisis that’s transforming Sin City into an unexpected breeding ground for disease-carrying insects.
While tourists check into their Strip accommodations expecting the typical desert experience, they’re walking into what health experts are calling a ticking time bomb. The city’s 48 million annual visitors remain largely unaware that Las Vegas has become home to aggressive, disease-carrying mosquitoes that thrive in the very amenities hotels promote most.
The silent spread across tourist zones
What started as isolated mosquito sightings in 2017 has exploded into a valley-wide infestation spanning 48 ZIP codes throughout Clark County. The Aedes aegypti mosquito, known for spreading dengue fever, has established itself across the Las Vegas Valley with remarkable speed, according to the Southern Nevada Health District’s surveillance data.
These aren’t the typical evening nuisance mosquitoes many travelers might expect. Aedes aegypti are what health officials describe as relentless daytime biters, attacking visitors during peak sightseeing hours when tourists are most active around hotel pools, outdoor dining areas and entertainment venues…