DALLAS COUNTY, Texas — A Dallas County resident has been confirmed as the first case of West Nile virus in the Lone Star State, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
The first reported case of West Nile virus in Texas last year also happened in Dallas County.
West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes. Health officials said 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.
Less than 1% of people infected with West Nile virus suffer from an affected nervous system, which can cause neck stiffness, disorientation, tremors, convulsions, paralysis and even death, officials said.
The Texas Department of State Health Services urges people to not give mosquitoes a biting chance by following these steps to protect themselves and their families from West Nile and other diseases spread by mosquitoes:
- Wear long sleeves and pants. Create a barrier to mosquito bites by covering up.
- Apply insect repellent. Use EPA-registered repellent such as those containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol or 2-undecanone.
- Remove standing water. Emptying out water that accumulates in toys, tires, trash cans, buckets, clogged rain gutters and plant pots will deny mosquitoes a place to lay their eggs and reproduce.
In 2021, there were 112 cases of West Nile virus infections in the state, according to state officials. Fourteen people died from the West Nile virus in Texas last year. In the past five years, there have been 547 cases and 61 deaths in Texas related to the West Nile virus.