Virus alert: West Nile is back.
The state of Texas now has its first case of the West Nile virus diagnosed this year.
The pesky mosquitoes carrying the disease have been confirmed in three areas: Austin, Dallas, and Galveston.
The warning from city health officials don’t downplay the possible threat as West Nile is most common in the summer and fall.
The good news so far is that no cases have been reported in San Antonio.
“[Mosquitoes] never go away, especially by out apartment. We have a ton of them. They just horde around us,” Cynthia Trott.
Cynthia and her twin Cathryn enjoy walking in the par but they know that their walk can be dangerous.
“In San Antonio, we have a marked mosquito season that goes from early spring through the fall,” said Carol Schliesinger, a spokeswoman with Metro Health. “Except for 2013, in the past six years, we have had cases every single year, so it’s something to take seriously.”
The thing about mosquitoes that carry West Nile is that they are out and about more frequently.
“In the morning and the evening, this time of year is the most pleasant where you’re not dying of heat,” Schliesinger said. “But those can be, for this type of mosquito, the most dangerous because that is when they are active.”
“Watch out,” said one man at the park who had some advice. “Go buy some bug spray. Just because I don’t get bit doesn’t mean I don’t take measures to prevent myself from getting bit. I still spray the bug spray and put on the sunscreen, all that fun stuff. But be careful because it is a real thing for sure.”
Last year, Texas reported 135 cases of West Nile that resulted in six deaths.
Remember to spray insect repellant, wear bright colors, and long sleeves, and stay away from standing water.