The gender and age of the person were not released, but officials said the individual lived in the northwest quadrant of unincorporated Denton County.
The details
Denton County Public Health officials said this was the second human case of and the first death from West Nile virus in Denton County this year. The individual was diagnosed with West Nile neuroinvasive disease, and officials said to “protect patient confidentiality, no further personal information will be released.”
What they’re saying
“We’re seeing more positive mosquito traps in the last few weeks indicating increasing risk for contracting West Nile virus, just as we’ve seen in our second human case and first death of the season,” said Juan Rodriguez, DCPH assistant director and chief epidemiologist, in the release. “We ask community members to take preventive actions to lower their risk of contracting a mosquito-borne illness.”
Going forward
Health officials advise residents to take the following steps to minimize risk of contracting West Nile virus:
- Drain standing water in the yard and neighborhood to minimize mosquito breeding sites, such as bird baths, flowerpots and clogged rain gutters. Consider the use of BTI briquettes, often called mosquito dunks, in standing water that cannot be eliminated.
- Dress in long sleeves and pants when outside, and spray thin clothing with repellent.
- Use Environmental Protection Agency-registered repellent. Check for ingredients such as DEET, picaridin or lemon eucalyptus oil.
