Dallas County Health and Human Services confirmed the fourth human case of West Nile virus in the county for the 2013 season on Monday.
On Tuesday, Zachary Thompson, with DCHHS, said what a difference a year can make when, compared to last year, the county had neary 250 human cases to deal with.
“Ninety-nine percent of our cities do quick turnaround real time spraying in their cities once they identify a positive mosquito trap or human cases,” Thompson said.
Thompson said they are already looking ahead to the summer of 2014 and how they'll further refine how they plan to fight mosquitoes and West Nile virus.
New studies, for instance, show that the virus may be evolving and that information may be critical for the people who are eventually infected.
“We have certain companies that are developing a human vaccine, so that’s important if you’re going to try to make it, a vaccine, for humans, you have to know whether that particular virus is changing because you might have to adapt the vaccine just like the seasonal flu,” said Dr. Christopher Perkins, with DCHHS.
Officials with the county health department promise county commissioners they'll have recommendations for 2014 when they meet in September.
