Fort Worth Senior Dies Of West Nile Virus, First Human Case In Tarrant County This Year
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Tarrant County Public Health reported the first West Nile virus death of the 2020 season on Tuesday.
The death is also the first human case of WNV in Tarrant County in 2020.
The death involved a senior adult from Fort Worth with underlying medical conditions.
West Nile virus can affect anyone, although people age 50 and older run a higher risk of developing a severe infection, TCPH said in a news release.
About 20% of infected people will develop a fever with other symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash.
Most people with this type of the disease recover completely, but fatigue and weakness can last for weeks or months.The last WNV death in Tarrant County was reported in September of 2018. The last human case was August of 2019.
TCPH reminds residents about the importance of taking personal protective measures to safeguard against the virus. Residents should routinely dump standing water on their property, use EPA-approved insect repellent, and dress in long sleeves and pants.
