West Nile Reaches Forth Worth Texas in 2024
When you live in a state where weather conditions make it nearly impossible to stay inside, you learn what awaits you outside. In Fort Wort, Texas, not only are that hundreds of days of gorgeous, sunny weather - but it's also mosquitoes. And not just any mosquitoes, but ones that can carry illnesses harmful to both humans and pets. One disease that has seen an increase in cases in Texas, especially in the Fort Worth area, is the West Nile virus.
Learn about this disease, how it is spreading around Fort Worth and how to protect your family and pets, so everyone can enjoy their time outside without worrying about if the next bug bite means someone will get sick. Find out what you should know about the West Nile virus and why Fort Worth had a rough 2024 when it came to an uptick in cases.
What West Nile Virus Is
West Nile virus sounds like something you wouldn't have to worry about in the United States, but the illness has been around in the country since 1999. When it comes to mosquito-borne illnesses in the United States, West Nile is the most common, so it could be a risk for anyone.
But if you live in areas like the Rocky Mountain Range, the Mississippi Delta Region, the Great Plains or the Southwest, your chances of coming across this disease are greater than if you lived elsewhere. For those in Fort Worth, Texas, the odds increase a bit more, especially recently.
As if the itchy red bumps from their bites weren't enough, mosquitoes carry and transmit illnesses from certain animals to humans, some of which can be life-threatening. West Nile is one of a plethora of diseases transmitted by mosquitoes.
West Nile in Fort Worth
Fort Worth, which is in Tarrant County, had an intense 2024 mosquito season that saw a major increase in West Nile virus cases. By August of 2024, the county had reported 28 cases - 24 of which ended in hospitalization and one death. To put it into perspective, in 2023 there were only 12 cases reported in the county.
The state of Texas had 176 cases of the disease, compared to the 1,466 West Nile cases across the country. Don't let those numbers scare you away from Texas, because 49 states reported at least one case of West Nile in 2024, so there really isn't anywhere you could go where the chances of you getting it are completely zero.
West Nile Virus Symptoms
Up to 20% of people who contract West Nile virus develop symptoms, so most people won't even know they have it. But once you are bitten, expect to feel any of these around three days after the mosquito picked you, and be ready to take care of yourself for up to 14 days before you feel better. If you are one of the unlucky ones who have to deal with severe symptoms, even if you don't need to be hospitalized, you could feel the effects of the disease for weeks or even months after the initial bug bite.
Mild Symptoms
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Body aches and pains in the joints
- Headache
- Nausea and vomiting
- Rash
The hard part about the West Nile virus is that it presents as a lot of other illnesses too, and confirmation can only be done in a hospital. If you notice a combination of these symptoms accompanied by a mosquito bite, you could have West Nile.
More Severe Symptoms
- High fever
- Confusion
- Stiffness in the neck
- Paralysis
- Seizures or tremors in the body
Only around 1% of cases will experience severe symptoms in relation to West Nile, but if you do have them, you might need medical attention to recover. Those who are over 60 years old or have underlying health conditions are more at risk of being in the 1% of severe symptom cases and need hospitalization to recover. Since there is no vaccine and no treatment, self-awareness is key. Check yourself for mosquito bites when you come inside and watch them closely for the next couple of days for any changes to the bites or to you.
How to Prevent Mosquito Bites
- Eliminate standing water
- Keep all greenery trimmed and mowed short
- Don't put play or yard equipment near the edge of the property
- Keep wood piles neat and orderly
- Clean out bird baths and pet bowls and bring pet bowls inside when your pet comes in.
- Maintain and clean out your gutters
- Cover all pools or hot tubs when not in use
While you probably won't go your whole life without getting at least one mosquito bite, there are simple and easy things you can do to reduce your chances of getting bitten, which will decrease your chances of being infected with any mosquito-related diseases.
The big way to keep yourself and your family from coming inside with a million mosquito bites is to start by checking your own outdoor space. Standing water is the main reason mosquitoes are drawn to your yard, so walk your property after any wet or humid weather and dump any puddle of water - no matter how small - to reduce the number of potential breeding grounds.
Other things to remember to do are bring your pet bowls inside when they come in, give the bird bath a bath often, cover the pool or hot tub, keep all piles of materials in your yard stacked nicely and don't line the perimeter of your property with lawn or play equipment, especially if your outdoor space backs up to any wooded area.
Call in the Professionals
To bring an extra layer of protection to you and your family, you could call an experienced and caring pest control team at MosquitoNix for a free consultation for your home or business. Pest control solutions and systems can offer short-term or a more permanent, long-term barrier between your outdoor space and mosquitoes and other flying insects and bugs.
While residents in Fort Worth need to be more aware of the West Nile virus as cases rise, anyone can talk to their local MosquitoNix to see what precautions can be taken to keep the bugs out of their outdoor space.
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