Galveston County Health District officials confirmed a neuroinvasive case ofWest Nile virusin a county resident, according to aFriday news release.Officials said the resident, who is hospitalized, had “travel exposures” outside of the county during their incubation period in an area with positive West Nile activity.
It’s the first West Nile virus case of the year in Galveston County, where officials said no West Nile activity has been found in the person's neighborhood.
"While this case may have been acquired outside of Galveston County, it serves as an important reminder that mosquito-borne illnesses remain a seasonal concern," said Philip Keiser, Galveston County's local health authority, in the news release.
According to the Galveston County Health District, most people with West Nile virus never develop symptoms, but some mild symptoms can include fever, body aches, headache and joint pain.
Less than 1% of infected patients develop a neuroinvasive disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which says it typically manifests as meningitis, encephalitis or acute flaccid myelitis. In those cases,symptoms can include high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, muscle weakness and tremors or seizures.
Keiser said residents should take precautions to protect themselves from mosquito bites such as using insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants when outdoors, getting rid of standing water around homes and keeping doors or windows screened.
According to officials, the county’s mosquito control department is taking precautionary measures by trapping and spraying in the Galveston County area.
The Texas Department of State Health Services previously confirmed the year's first human case of West Nile virus in May, which was in Harris County, according to previousHouston Public Mediareporting. According to the CDC, as of July 28, there were 12 reported West Nile virus cases in Texas this year.
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