West Nile virus outbreak

West Nile virus outbreak: How to protect yourself Dallas planes took to the skies Friday to spray insecticides to combat the worst West Nile virus outbreak the United States has seen this year. Thus far, 10 people have been killed and at least 230 others have been sickened in the Dallas County area. Nearly half of all West Nile cases in the US so far this year are in Texas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If the trend continues, 2012 will be the worst West Nile year in state history. Dallas begins aerial assault on West Nile virus Nationwide, recent CDC estimates say there are 694 reported cases of West Nile virus spread across 43 states, including 26 deaths. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 30000 people in the US have reported getting sick with the West Nile Virus since 1999. The disease spreads to humans most often through bites from infected mosquitoes. The mosquitoes themselves get West Nile virus when they feed on infected birds, and then spread it to humans and other animals when they bite. The good news is about 80 percent of people who are infected with the virus won’t show any symptoms at all. Up to 20 percent, however, may develop a fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, swollen lymph glands or a skin rash. These symptoms may last a few days or a few weeks, even in otherwise healthy people. But about one in 150 people will develop a severe illness, in which they may have a high fever, neck …