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TRMC-Sunnyvale offers some simple tips for avoiding the West Nile virus
By Zach Markovic, zmarkovic@starlocalnews.com
Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) has confirmed the 14th and 15th West Nile Virus related death in Dallas County.
DCHHS has been notified that a patient who lived in Irving and Grand Prairie were diagnosed with West Nile Neuroinvasive Disease and died.
For medical confidentiality and personal privacy reasons, DCHHS does not provide additional identifying information.
West Nile virus is a serious health concern in the Dallas-Fort Worth area this summer and fall. The local outbreak is a public-health emergency said Dallas County officials recently, but Texas Regional Medical Center at Sunnyvale wants to remind area residents that there are simple precautions everyone can take to reduce the risk of getting the mosquito-borne virus.
Drain any standing water around your home to reduce mosquito breeding grounds.
Dress in pants and long sleeves when outside. However, also take frequent breaks and drink water to avoid overheating.
Consider staying indoors at dusk and at dawn, when mosquitoes most-associated with the virus are most active.
Apply insect repellent that contains DEET to exposed skin and clothing when indoors. However, it's not recommended for infants or pregnant women. Dr. Donald Fowler Jr., a family medicine specialist on staff at TRMC-Sunnyvale and also part of Sunnyvale Medical Group said DEET has shown to have a higher degree of efficacy than other products and typically provides longer-lasting protection than other products. "Many factors may affect how often you need to reapply protection, such as sweating, temperature or the concentration of DEET in the product," Fowler said. "In general, you should reapply if the mosquito activity increases or every 3-4 hours."
Mow the lawn regularly.
Ensure window and door screens are intact and fit properly. Mosquitoes will enter a home or business through torn or ill-fitting screens.
Most people infected with the virus will not have any signs of illness, according to information provided by Dallas County Health & Human Services. Twenty percent of those affected will experience mild symptoms such as headaches, body aches, skin rashes and swollen lymph glands.
Although very rare, severe infections cause headaches, high fevers, stiff necks, muscle weakness, paralysis, comas, tremors and convulsions.
"People typically develop symptoms between three and 14 days after they are bitten," Fowler said. "Only about one in 150 people infected will get severe symptoms. Approximately 80 percent of people, four out of five, will not show any symptoms at all; the other approximately 20 percent will show only mild symptoms lasting a few days to a few weeks."
Texas Regional Medical Center at Sunnyvale is a 70-bed hospital committed to offering the finest medical services to those in Dallas County, Rockwall County and the surrounding communities. The regional medical center offers well-trained physicians, nurses and other medical professionals, as well as a full array of state-of-the-art medical equipment and a growing list of medical services.
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