West Nile 2023 has claimed its first Dallas victim per Dallas County Health and Human Services staff. This is the first human case of West Nile virus this season.
The Dallas man was diagnosed with West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND) – a more severe variant of the disease.
West Nile 2023
West Nile virus (WNV) is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States.
The most common form of infection is from the bite of an infected mosquito. Cases of WNV occur during mosquito season, which starts in the summer and continues through fall.
Fortunately, most people infected with WNV do not feel sick.
Almost one in five people who develop the infection develop a fever and other symptoms. About one in one hundred fifty infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness.
There is no vaccine for West Nile virus.
This time last year health officials were following a case of monkeypox that arrived in Dallas through Love Field.
Mosquito Protection Options
- Dress in long sleeves and long pants when outside. You can also spray thin clothing with repellent for extra protection.
- DEET: Make sure this ingredient is in your insect repellent.
- Drain standing water in your yard and neighborhood: Mosquitoes can develop in any water stagnant for more than three days.