More cases of West Nile virus found in Travis County
Update: Austin Public Health on Friday sent an update that four people had been under investigation for West Nile virus in Travis County, but there are not yet any confirmed human cases this year.
Four people have been tested for West Nile Virus in Travis County, Austin Public Health officials say. The disease, which causes symptoms such as fever, joint pains, body aches, headaches. vomiting, diarrhea and rash, is spread through mosquitos.
Austin Public Health is asking people to take precautions after recent rains, which might increase the mosquito population.
“By removing standing water and using prevention tools we keep ourselves, our families and communities safe," said Marcel Elizondo, Austin Public Health's interim assistant director for environmental health services.
Austin Public Health said it has identified a new pool of mosquitos with West Nile virus. This one was in the 78759 ZIP code, which is west of MoPac Boulevard (Loop 1), east and north of Spicewood Springs Road and south of U.S. 183 and Duval Road in Northwest Austin. It was detected as part of Austin Public Health's Environmental Vector Program and is only the second pool with West Nile virus identified this year in Travis County.
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In July, that vector program found the first infected pool in the 78721 ZIP code, which is east of Airport Boulevard, west of U.S. 183 and north of the Colorado River, but south of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
Austin Public Health monitors area waters for mosquitoes with West Nile virus May through November, when mosquitos are most active. Last year, Travis County had eight infected mosquito pools and three West Nile cases in humans.
Surrounding counties have not reported any mosquito pools testing positive or human cases of the virus, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
In all of Texas, 77 people have had confirmed cases of West Nile this year, and 1,515 positive mosquito pools have been identified.
Fighting three different diseases
This news comes as cases of COVID-19 are falling locally, but monkeypox cases are rising. Last Thursday, Travis and Williamson counties reached a low level of COVID-19 spread for the first time since the end of June. Bastrop, Caldwell and Hays counties are in the medium level.
Monkeypox cases are growing. Travis County now has 93 confirmed cases, Hays County has 5, Williamson County has two confirmed and eight presumed cases. The Central Texas Public Health Region has 128 cases, according to the state health department.
How is West Nile virus spread?
Unlike monkeypox, which is spread by close contact, and COVID-19, which is spread by respiratory droplets, West Nile virus is spread by an infected mosquito delivering it to a human through a bite. There are rare cases of it caused through a blood transfusion or organ transplant, or in a laboratory setting, or to a fetus or baby from the mom during a pregnancy or by breastfeeding.
It is not spread by human-to-human contact or by touching live or dead animals. Generally, an infected mosquito must bite you to cause a case of West Nile virus.
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How can you avoid West Nile?
Try to eliminate the mosquitoes in your area and prevent bites by doing these things:
Wear repellant: If you're going to be outside, particularly at dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes like to party, use insect repellant. Those with DEET work best and can be used on anyone ages 2 and older. You can spray exposed skin as well as on top of clothing. Use your hands to rub spray on your face. Adults should apply repellant for kids younger than 10.
Wear protective clothing: Think long sleeves and pants. Also, light-colored and loose-fitting clothing helps. You can also buy clothing that is mosquito-repellant.
Remove sources of water: Mosquitoes like to breed in any bits of water. Always dump buckets and kiddie pools. After a rain, look for water in toys, tires, toys, garbage cans and pots. Regularly clean out bird baths and cover rain barrels.
Add mosquito dunks or mosquito fish to ponds: These help control mosquito larvae, preventing new adults.
Fix drainage problems in your yard: If you have an area where standing water collects, consider adding terracing or a French drain.
Plant these: Lemon balm, mint, chrysanthemums, marigolds, basil, garlic, eucalyptus, lavender, rosemary and lemongrass around your yard can help discourage mosquitoes. Or use oils and candles with those scents to discourage mosquitoes.
Scatter coffee grounds in the soil wherever there have been drainage problems: They deprive the eggs in the soil of oxygen.
Install lights that mosquitoes don't like around your yard: These include LED lights, yellow bug lights or sodium lamps.
Use a fan or fans on the patio: This discourages mosquitoes from flocking there.
Hire a professional service to treat your yard: Make sure they know whether you have pets or children crawling around in the yard.
More:Fact check: No evidence mosquitoes can spread monkeypox, experts say
What are the symptoms of West Nile virus?
About 80% of people who contract West Nile virus have no symptoms. Their cases typically aren't recorded because they don't know they have it.
Most people who do develop symptoms have fever, headache, joint pain, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea or rash. A blood test or a spinal fluid sample can confirm the cause.
About 1 in 150 people with West Nile virus get the severe illness, which affects their central nervous system. They could develop inflammation of the brain or membranes surrounding the brain or spinal cord. Those people have symptoms such as a severe headache, stiff neck, tremors, convulsions, coma, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness or paralysis.
People who are 60 or older at most risk for severe illness as well as people who have underlying medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease or have had an organ transplant.
People with a severe case of the illness can take weeks or months to recover, and there can be permanent damage to their central nervous system.
About 10% of the people who have a West Nile virus case that affects their central nervous system die.
How is it treated?
There is no vaccine for West Nile virus. Most people can use over-the-counter medications. In severe cases, hospitalization to help with fluids and managing pain is needed.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: New mosquito pool found to have West Nile virus
