The West Nile Virus, a mosquito-borne virus that causes encephalitis in vertebrates, was only found in the Eastern Hemisphere until 1999, when it was isolated in the northeastern United States. Seven deaths and several cases of severe illness caused by the virus have raised concern for public safety in the region. Recently, a special West Nile virus surveillance program has been funded in seventeen states and two cities; data are being collected on a weekly basis. This week's In the News follows the developments in West Nile Virus detection and control in the United States.