Authorities confirmed a human case of the West Nile virus in Wichita County — the first reported since 2015, according to a city media release.
The Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health District received confirmation from the Texas Department of State Health Services laboratory the case. The resident from southeast Wichita County was hospitalized, discharged and is recovering at home.
“The Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health Mosquito Control program is designed to mitigate West Nile Virus,” said Samantha Blair, environmental health administrator. “This year, Wichita County has had 29 mosquito pools test positive for West Nile Virus and the numbers tend to rise in late summer.”
This case is among nine others reported in Texas this year. The individual resides in the zip code 76308 and traveled out-of-state within the last few months.
The health district Environmental Health Division’s integrated pest management program includes testing mosquitoes for the virus and other mosquito-borne diseases, treating standing water and eliminating breeding areas, as well as spraying for adult mosquitoes in favorable weather conditions.
To spray, wind speed must be between 1 and 10 mph. Staff does spray missions when pollinators are not active — normally the late evening and early morning around 3 a.m. or 4 a.m.
To request spraying, contact Vector Control at 940-761-7890. Only some mosquito species in Wichita County are capable of spreading diseases such as West Nile virus. Most are considered a nuisance.
For more information about the local mosquito abatement program, visit tx-wichitafalls3.civicplus.com/375/Vector-Mosquito-Control .
Approximately 70-80% of people infected with West Nile virus do not develop symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 1 in 5 develop a fever with other symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash.
Generally, those infected with this type of WNV disease recover completely. Fatigue and weakness, however, can last weeks or months. About 1 in 150 develops a serious, sometimes fatal, illness.
West Nile virus can cause an acute febrile illness or neurologic disease, including meningitis, encephalitis and acute flaccid myelitis, according to the media release.
Contact your healthcare provider if experiencing any symptoms described. Note that West Nile virus is not casually transmitted from person to person.
To reduce the risk of infection follow the “four D’s" of mosquito control:
- Dump/drain: Dump or drain and wipe the sides of containers that hold water such as pet bowls, rain barrels, children’s toys or tarps.
- Deet: Wear insect repellent approved by the Environmental Protection Agency when outside. Follow the label instructions on application and reapplication. Ask your pediatrician what age it is appropriate to use insect repellent on young children and what kind they recommend.
- Dress: Wear long sleeves and long pants outside, especially during an activity that will stir up mosquitoes in the grass, such as yard work or outdoor sports.
- Dusk/dawn and all day: Mosquitoes are generally most active at dusk and dawn, so limit outdoor activities at those times if possible. Follow proper mosquito precautions any time you are outdoors no matter what time of day.
"We will continue to follow our integrated mosquito management principles," Blair said in the media release. "Citizens are urged to actively protect themselves from mosquitoes by following the four D’s anytime they go outside”
For questions about the WNV visit the CDEC website: www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm .
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Trish Choate is serving as the interim editor for the Wichita Falls Times Record News, San Angelo Standard-Times and Abilene Reporter-News. Contact Trish with news tips at tchoate@gannett.com. Read her recent work here . Her X handle is @Trishapedia .
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Human case of West Nile virus confirmed in Wichita County
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