West Nile, Chikungunya, Dengue Reported In Texas
By David Doolittle

2.1 zika

Summer hasn’t started yet – that happens June 21 – but several cases of vector-borne diseases have been identified in Texas.

Four cases each of chikungunya and dengue have been reported in Dallas, Fort Bend, Harris, Lubbock, Tarrant, and Travis counties, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) said this week.

Meanwhile, four mosquito pools in Dallas County and two in Montgomery County just north of Houston tested positive for West Nile virus, DSHS said.

To help keep your community safe, remind patients to take steps to avoid mosquito bites and to reduce mosquito populations, such as:

  • Regularly applying EPA-registered insect repellent while outdoors;
  • Dumping out all standing water inside and outside homes and businesses so mosquitoes can’t lay eggs;
  • Using air-conditioning or making sure window and door screens are in good repair to keep mosquitoes out; and
  • Covering up with long sleeves and long pants to help prevent bites. 

More information on mosquito-borne viruses can be found on DSHS’ website. And be sure to check out this Texas Medicine magazine article from last year that takes an in-depth look at vector-borne diseases in the Lone Star State.

Last Updated On

June 06, 2019

Originally Published On

June 06, 2019

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