West Nile Virus Related Death in Nueces County
City of Corpus Christi
CORPUS CHRISTI (News Release) - The Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health District had received notification of one West Nile Virus related death. Currently, the case is defined as Potential West Nile Encephalitis and is still under investigation by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
The patient was a male in his 60s and had no known comorbidities. The resident lived in the 78380 zip code, where there has been a positive case of West Nile Virus identified in mosquitoes. This incident was not within the Corpus Christi city limits.
This is the fifth human case of West Nile Virus identified in Nueces County for 2021.
West Nile Virus is a disease spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Texas has reported 33 cases of West Nile and three deaths for 2021.
Symptoms of West Nile Virus include:
Fever
Headache
Tiredness
Body aches
Occasionally a skin rash, sometimes on the trunk of the body
Swollen lymph glands
Illness can be as short as a few days or last several weeks
Residents are advised to protect themselves from mosquito bites by avoiding outdoor activities, especially during dusk and dawn. While outdoors, wear FDA-approved insect repellant containing DEET and reduce mosquito breeding grounds by disposing of items in the yard that can contain standing water such as tires, toys, or water buckets. Lastly, if residents develop any of these symptoms following a mosquito bite, seek medical assistance immediately.
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