|
19 cases of West Nile illness in Texas this year, including one death.
AUSTIN October 4, 2019 - Most of the 13 confirmed cases have been identified in El Paso, according to data from the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) on Oct. 1. Other cases have been confirmed in Brazoria, Floyd, Hale, Harris, Nolan, and Tarrant counties. West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes. Most people exposed to the virus don’t get sick, but about 20% develop symptoms like headache, fever, muscle and joint aches, nausea, and fatigue. In a very small proportion, less than 1%, the virus affects the nervous system, leading to a more serious illness that can cause neck stiffness, disorientation, tremors, convulsions, paralysis, and even death. To help keep your community safe, remind patients to take steps to avoid mosquito bites and to reduce mosquito populations, such as:
Last year, 146 cases of West Nile illness were reported in Texas, resulting in 11 deaths. Find more information on mosquito-borne viruses on the DSHS website. And be sure to check out this Texas Medicine magazine article from last year that takes an in-depth look at vector-borne diseases in the Lone Star State. |
|
|||||