Tarrant County Confirms West Nile Virus-Related Death

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – Tarrant County Public Health reported Monday the first West Nile Virus-associated death of the 2017 season.

The death involved a senior adult with underlying medical conditions.

Additional details are not being released due to privacy laws.

Last year, TCPH reported two associated deaths for the season.

TCPH says West Nile Virus can affect anyone, although people age 50 and older run a higher risk of developing a severe infection.

About 20 percent 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.

Less than one percent of infected people develop inflammation of the brain or surrounding tissues. The symptoms of neurologic illness can include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, disorientation, coma, tremors, seizures or paralysis.