Hays County confirms first human case of West Nile Virus

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Hays County Health Department (HCHD) confirmed there was a positive human case of West Nile Virus, according to Hays County.

HCHD received that positive case on Tuesday, and the county said it will not release any information regarding the patient, due privacy and confidentiality reasons.

West Nile Virus, or WNV, “is a disease spread by the bite of an infected mosquito.”

“Mosquitoes can become infected when they feed on the blood of infected birds,” the county said. “The infected mosquitoes can then transmit WNV to humans and animals.”

Furthermore, the county said 80% of people will not experience symptoms, which leaves 20% of those who “may experience some.” Those symptoms include the following, as provided by the county:

• fever
• headache
• body aches
• joint pain
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• a skin rash on the torso and swollen lymph nodes

For anyone experiencing the above symptoms, the county said they are “encouraged to seek medical attention.”

“While the risk for severe symptoms is low, individuals aged 50 and older and those with compromised immune systems may be at an increased risk for stiffness, disorientation, coma, tremors, vision loss, paralysis, and in extremely rare cases, death,” the county said.

The county said severe WNV infections can cause neurological complications, like encephalitis and/or meningitis.

While there is not a specific treatment for WNV, the county said over-the-counter medicine can help reduce symptoms.

“Patients can expect to exhibit symptoms for three to six days but may experience fatigue and weakness for weeks or even months,” the county said.

For more information on WNV or how to prevent mosquitoes, visit the Hays County website.