Corsicana —
Counties around Texas are reporting higher-than-normal numbers of West Nile virus diseases, likely the result of a rainy spring that aided the mosquitoes that transmit the illnesses.
Thus far, Navarro County has been spared from any cases, but local officials are taking it seriously, with mosquito spraying and advisories, according to Corsicana Mayor Chuck McClanahan.
“We are being proactive,” he said. “Since we’re hearing it on the news we want people to know we are stepping it up a bit. We’re not spraying 24 hours day, but we are aware of the problem and we are doing more than we were.”
That includes mosquito spraying in city parks and along creeks, and anti-larvae tablets are being placed in creeks and standing water.
Residential areas will be sprayed as needed, McClanahan said in an open letter to the city Thursday morning.
He points out in his letter that the unfortunate lack of rainfall since early July may actually help this area by reducing the mosquito population.
Ellis County has reported five cases of West Nile, and Dallas and Tarrant counties have both reported deaths from West Nile Neuroinvasive Disease. On Monday, Dallas reported that county had two more deaths, the fourth and fifth this year in Dallas, according to the Dallas County Department of Health and Human Services. On Wednesday, Tarrant County (Fort Worth), reported 72 people were ill, and one person has died this season, according to the Tarrant County Public Health Department.
West Nile is typically one of two diseases, Neuroinvasive, which is the more serious and potentially deadly. The symptoms of Neuroinvasive are a stiff neck, visual problems, body tremors, mental confusion, memory loss and even seizures. The typically milder West Nile Fever generally presents as a fever, headache, muscle aches, nausea and drowsiness, according to Christine Mann, spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services in Austin.
“People typically recover on their own but the symptoms can last for several weeks,” Mann said. “There are no medications, or vaccines to prevent West Nile infection. If they’re hospitalized, the symptoms are treated, but not the disease. People who are a higher risk for contracting West Nile virus are those over 50 years old, or with compromised immune systems.”
The season for West Nile disease runs from June or July through September or October, and dies down after the first freeze, Mann said.
“Historically infections peak in mid-August, but we’re having higher number of cases this year, so we really can’t predict how long the season will be,” she said.
The disease is contracted from mosquitoes that become infected after drinking the blood of infected birds or animals, Mann said.
“Mostly birds,” she said.
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Janet Jacobs may be reached via e-mail at jacobs@corsicanadailysun.com. Want to “sound off” to this article? E-mail: Soundoff@corsicanadailysun.com
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Map courtesy Texas Department of Health A map shows reported cases of West Nile Virus as close as Ellis County. The City of Corsicana is taking steps to help prevent the mosquito population in the city, cutting the risk of the illness.
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City spraying to prevent West Nile in Corsicana
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