NEWS RELEASE Contact: Vanassa Joseph, Sr. Public Information Officer 817-321-5306, cell: 817-401-5967 vljoseph@tarrantcounty Tarrant County reports its first human case of West Nile (Tarrant County, Texas) … Today, Tarrant County Public Health (TCPH) announced the county’s first case of West Nile for the 2013 season. The first West Nile virus case of the season is the milder form, West Nile Fever; it involves a female in Fort Worth who is in her 40s. Additional details about the case are not being released to protect the person’s identity. Last year, Tarrant County reported its first human case on June 20. For the entire season, Tarrant County reported 280 human cases of West Nile, including 11 deaths. Up to 80 percent of people infected with West Nile will have no symptoms. Mild symptoms of West Nile infection can include headache, fever, muscle and joint aches, nausea and fatigue, and is commonly known as West Nile Fever. People with West Nile Fever typically recover on their own, although symptoms may last for several weeks. Severe symptoms of the infection can also include neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness and paralysis, and is commonly known as West Nile Neuroinvasive Disease. There is no specific treatment for West Nile. TCPH recommends people take these steps to help control and stop West Nile: • Regularly drain standing water, including water collecting in empty cans, tires, buckets, clogged rain gutters and saucers under potted plants. Mosquitoes that spread WNV can breed in as little as a tablespoon of stagnant water. • Use an approved insect repellent. Among the EPA-approved repellents are those that contain DEET, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus. • Wear long-sleeve shirts and long pants outdoors at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active. For the latest information about West Nile virus in Tarrant County, visit: health.tarrantcounty and click on the Take Control Stop West Nile Virus button.
Posted on: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 20:38:33 +0000