A senior adult who lived in Fort Worth is Tarrant County's first death of the West Nile virus this season, Tarrant County Public Health said Tuesday.
The death is the first human case of the year.
The person had underlying medical conditions. No other information was released due to privacy laws, the health department said.
The West Nile virus can affect anyone, although people ages 50 and older have a higher risk of developing a severe infection, the department said.
About 20% of infected people will develop a fever with other symptoms such as headaches, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash.
Most people with this type of the disease recover completely, but fatigue and weakness can last for weeks or months, the department said. The last West Nile death in Tarrant County was reported in September of 2018. The last human case was August of 2019.
Residents should dump standing water on their property and use EPA-approved insect repellent and dress in long sleeves and pants.
