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Three cases of West Nile virus have been identified in Hidalgo County, health officials said in a news release Thursday.
The Hidalgo County Health and Human Services Department have found the cases to be travel-related and have not confirmed any new infections locally, “as evident through our mosquito testing provided by Texas Department of State Health Services.”
But local health officials say healthcare providers did report four dengue cases that are potentially travel-related in the area and that “clinical review is still being conducted” between the county and DSHS according to procedures outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“It is important to note that the overall mosquito trapping conducted by Hidalgo County and Texas DSHS have not identified any positive mosquito pools of dengue or West Nile in our area,” the county said. “Health officials continue to work diligently with municipal partners in collecting mosquito samples to assess for any active arboviral illness.”
The county also said it’s performing adulticide spraying and larviciding in the affected areas to help reduce mosquito populations, according to the release.
“Residents are strongly encouraged to take preventive measures to lower the risk of infection,” the county said. “These measures include using EPA-approved mosquito repellents and wearing long-sleeve clothing while outdoors.”
Officials also asked healthcare providers to order “a full arboviral panel for patients presenting with symptoms of arboviral illness, reporting mosquito bites, or having recently traveled to areas with increased arboviral activity,” and to call Hidalgo County Health and Human Services at (956) 318-2426 to report any infections.
