Dallas County health officials say an Oak Cliff resident with West Nile virus has died.
The patient lived in zip code 75224 and was diagnosed with West Nile neuroinvasive disease, the most severe form of West Nile virus.
The death is the first West Nile virus death in the county this mosquito season.
The county did not provide any other details on the patient for privacy reasons.
Fewer than 1 percent of those infected with West Nile virus experience the neuroinvasive form of the illness. Most people bitten by a West Nile virus-infected mosquito will not show any symptoms.
Kiest Park in Oak Cliff is in the 75224 zip code. Parents at the park say they plan to begin paying close attention to West Nile virus again.
"You lose focus with a lot of things. It has got to stay in your head. It doesn't stay in your head, really, until something like this happens," said Jeffery Cummins, who lives in the zip code.
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"It is always in the back of your head, because you hear about it on the news," Maria Salazar said. "You don't think it is going to be in your area."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states, "The easiest and best way to avoid WNV is to prevent mosquito bites.
- When you are outdoors, use insect repellent containing an EPA-registered active ingredient. Follow the directions on the package.
- Many mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn. Be sure to use insect repellent and wear long sleeves and pants at these times or consider staying indoors during these hours.
- Make sure you have good screens on your windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out.
- Get rid of mosquito breeding sites by emptying standing water from flower pots, buckets and barrels. Change the water in pet dishes and replace the water in bird baths weekly. Drill holes in tire swings so water drains out. Keep children's wading pools empty and on their sides when they aren't being used."
NBC 5's Julie Fine contributed to this report.
