Human cases confirmed in Southlake, Grapevine, Colleyville
Just weeks after officials in Grapevine, Colleyville and Southlake reported that mosquito samples taken within city limits had tested positive for West Nile virus, all three cities have confirmed human cases.
The first confirmed case in this market came in late July when a Southlake resident was admitted to an area hospital. Since then, two more cases have been confirmed in Southlake, two have been confirmed in Grapevine and one was confirmed in Colleyville.
The Tarrant County Health Department has been testing mosquitos and humans for months, trying to stay on top of a virulent West Nile virus season that has taken North Texas by storm. Following a mild winter and the wettest start to a year in Texas history, this year's West Nile season started earlier than normal and has broken confirmed case records across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
With more than 180 confirmed human cases and nine deaths, earlier this month Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins declared a public health emergency. Officials there have filed a disaster declaration with the state requesting that additional resources be funneled into helping control the virus' spread, which includes aerial insecticide spraying in portions of North Dallas for the first time since the '60s.
"This declaration will expand our avenues for assistance in our ongoing battle with West Nile Virus," Jenkins said in a statement. "While we are busy doing everything we can to keep residents well informed and as protected as possible, we need your help."
As of press time, with about 160 confirmed human cases in Tarrant County and one death — a Euless woman in her 60s — officials here had not made a similar disaster declaration. County Judge Glen Whitley has said he is in close communication with health officials, and does not yet feel that advanced measures, including widespread aerial spraying, are warranted.
To battle the virus locally, however, county and city officials have taken both offensive and defensive approaches, draining standing water where mosquitos breed and strategically spraying areas where infected mosquitos have been confirmed. As of Aug. 13, Tarrant County had confirmed 60 infected mosquito pools, including five in Colleyville, four in Southlake and three in Grapevine.
Officials are also encouraging residents to be proactive in protecting themselves from infection. Mosquito larvicide is available to Southlake residents for free on a first-come, first-served basis — one per household — at the Southlake Community Center, 400 N. White Chapel Blvd., and the Public Works Operations, 1950 E. Continental Blvd. It is also available to Grapevine residents at City Hall, 200 S. Main St., and the Community Activities Center, 411 Ball St., and to Colleyville residents by calling Public Works at 817-503-1102.
West Nile virus, passed through the bites of infected mosquitos, is commonly found in Africa, West Asia and the Middle East. Its incubation period in humans is three to 14 days, making it difficult to track where people have been infected, and only about one in five humans will show symptoms. In mild cases of the virus, often called West Nile Fever, symptoms include fever, head and body aches, and occasionally a skin rash on their torso or swollen lymph glands. In more serious cases, infection can bring on high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, paralysis, coma or death. According to the Centers for Disease Control, West Nile virus has sickened more than 30,000 people and killed more than 1,260 nationwide since its first U.S. appearance in New York back in 1999.
