Tarrant County Confirms First Case of West Nile Virus This Year

Tarrant County's first case of West Nile virus this year has been confirmed, according to public health officials.Officials said the case is in Fort Worth and is mild, rather than the more severe West Nile neuroinvasive disease.Additional details are being withheld to protect the infected person's identity.Tarrant County officials spotted 2016's first case of West Nile on July 13. For the entire 2016 season, 44 cases of West Nile were reported, with one death.Symptoms of West Nile include joint pain, headaches, muscle aches, nausea and a stiff neck. But some cases can worsen to include swelling of the brain. In an outbreak in 2012, over 1,000 people were infected and 36 people died across four North Texas counties.To reduce exposure to mosquitoes, the health department encourages people to: Use insect repellent containing DEET when outside.Wear long, loose and light-colored clothing. Drain or treat all standing water in and around your home or workplace. Standing water can be treated with EPA-approved larvicides to kill mosquitoes before they become adults. Limit outdoor activities during dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active. More information is available at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov and at the Dallas County Health and Human Services website.Staff writer Claire Z. Cardona contributed to this report.  Continue reading...