Denton County health leaders are urging residents to not look past West Nile virus season after the county's first human case left a Lewisville man sick.
The Denton County Health Department confirms the case in Lewisville reported on Monday is the more serious form of the illness, the neuroinvasive form.
City leaders in Lewisville also said the adult male sick with the illness is from the northwest side of town near the city line with Flower Mound and was doing better at last check.
Though only one person has come down with the illness so far, Denton County has seen several positive mosquito samples trapped in cities, including in Lewisville and Flower Mound.
Health experts urge residents not to let their guard down as we are currently in what they consider to be the prime season for the illness.
Juan Rodriguez, chief epidemiologist for the Denton County Health Department, said he expects more signs of the virus in the area within the next month or so.
- Dress in long sleeves, pants when outside: For extra protection, spray thin clothing with repellent.
- DEET: Make sure this ingredient is in your insect repellent.
- Drain standing water in your yard and neighborhood: Mosquitoes can develop in any water stagnant for more than three days.
It has been recommended in the past that to avoid mosquito bites you should avoid being outdoors during Dusk and Dawn (the 4 Ds). While this is true for mosquitoes that commonly carry the West Nile virus, other types of mosquitoes that are more likely to carry Zika, dengue and chikungunya are active during the day. When outdoors, no matter what time of day, adjust your dress accordingly and wear insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus as your first line of defense against insect bites.
