Hidalgo County probing 4 potentially new West Nile cases

There are potentially four new cases of the West Nile virus being investigated locally, Hidalgo County Health and Human Services officials confirmed Wednesday.

County officials along with the help of the Texas Department of State Health Services are investigating the central and western part of the county and hope to determine the source of the infection.

As of right now cases of the virus have been reported in Travis, Bextar, Harris, Dallas, Denton and Montgomery counties.

Officials along with local municipalities are continuing to monitor and conduct mosquito surveillance. As of right now mosquito samples that have been sent to the Texas DSHS laboratory in Austin have been tested and returned negative, according to a county news release.

County health officials want residents to take precautions like wearing long-sleeved clothing and using EPA-approved mosquito repellent. Officials are encouraging residents to apply these precautions at all times whether traveling locally, statewide or abroad.

In order to help limit mosquito breeding, officials are asking residents to remove standing water from buckets, unused pools and tires after recent rains. They recommend placing mosquito dunks to prevent mosquito larvae from maturing in water sources that cannot be drained.

County officials are also encouraging healthcare providers to order an arboviral panel for patients who are exhibiting symptoms associated with arboviral illness. They recommend an arboviral panel include screening for West Nile virus, Saint Louis encephalitis and Dengue virus.

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