WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas -- Health officials have confirmed Williamson County's first death due to the West Nile virus.
Williamson County and Cities Health District, or WCCHD, says a 90-year-old woman died after contracting the virus.
A total of six cases have been reported in Williamson County so far this year. The first was reported in July. Before this, only five cases of the virus were seen in Williamson County since 2002.
West Nile virus symptoms start three to 15 days after being bit by an infected mosquito. Doctors say those affected could run a fever and feel flu-like symptoms. The virus generally goes away on its own, but if it travels into your nervous system, it can become deadly.
The WCCHD recommends residents use insect repellent, wear long sleeves and pants during dawn and dusk, install or repair screens on doors and windows, and empty standing water from pots, kiddie pools and buckets outside.
There have been 18 confirmed cases of West Nile virus in Austin-Travis County. One of those was fatal. There have been four cases reported in Hays County. The Texas Department of State Health Services has reported two cases of West Nile illness in Bastrop County.
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