What to know about West Nile virus in Williamson County

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — At least two mosquitoes tested positive for West Nile virus in Williamson County this month, according to data released by Cedar Park and the city of Taylor.

The positive test in Taylor was found near North Drive and T.H. Johnson on July 2, according to the city’s Facebook page . The other, also found on July 2, was at Elizabeth Milburn Park in Cedar Park.

“With the recent rain events, we are seeing large increases in mosquitoes throughout Williamson County,” Williamson County Integrated Vector Management program lead Jason Fritz, MPH, said.

The health department said 35 mosquito trap samples last year returned positive samples for West Nile virus in Williamson County. One human case of West Nile virus was reported in Williamson County in all of 2023.

At least one mom we caught up with at Milburn Park told us she wasn’t stopping her kids from playing at the park.

“There are too many other things to worry about it. It’s such a fleeting thought. I’m not going to wrap myself in a bubble for something we’ve known about for 20+ years,” Williamson County resident Sally Bright said.

The mosquitoes are typically active very early in the morning, or late at night, Fritz added. That’s why it’s best to wear long-sleeved shirts and pants to avoid getting a bite.

What to do if you think you have West Nile

“Doctors will typically do antibody testing for West Nile virus to determine if you have an acute or recent infection,” Fritz said.

People should look out for symptoms of West Nile for things that might include fever, headache, and body aches, a skin rash on the trunk of the body and swollen lymph nodes.

The health department said people 50 and older and/or with compromised immune systems are at a higher risk for severe symptoms, which may include stiffness, disorientation, coma, tremors, vision loss, paralysis, and in rare cases, death.

At the end of the day, if anyone is worried, they can always talk to their doctor.

Resources online to help

Testing sites can be tracked and can be seen with the latest cases reported in Williamson County on a dashboard online. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also has a website that can track it across the U.S. , as well as here in Texas.

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