Denton County Public Health on Tuesday reported that a sixth person in the county has been infected with West Nile virus this year, the first new case it has announced since early September.
The patient, a city of Denton resident, has West Nile neuroinvasive disease. The county released no other details, citing patient confidentiality.
"Even though temperatures are decreasing, preventing mosquito-borne illnesses remains a priority," Juan Rodriguez, the department's chief epidemiologist and assistant director, said in the announcement.
A season of cases across the county
The county's earlier announcements show how widely the virus has turned up this year:
- July 10: first case, a city of Denton resident with the milder non-neuroinvasive form
- July 30: second case, a resident of The Colony, neuroinvasive
- Aug. 28: third case, in the northwest part of unincorporated Denton County
- Sept. 8: fourth case, a Denton resident
- Sept. 10: fifth case, in the southeast part of unincorporated Denton County
Every case since the first has been the neuroinvasive form, according to the county. Mosquito traps have also tested positive at several spots, including one reported July 1 in the unincorporated area south of Hackberry and west of Frisco, which the county followed with three rounds of ground fogging.
Steps the county recommends
Health officials are asking residents to keep up precautions even as the weather cools:
- Drain standing water from bird baths, flowerpots, clogged gutters and other spots where mosquitoes breed. Where water cannot be removed, the county suggests BTI briquettes, often sold as mosquito dunks.
- Wear long sleeves and long pants outdoors, and treat lightweight clothing with repellent.
- Use an EPA-registered repellent containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
