Mosquito-borne West Nile Virus Outbreak Kills 16 in Texas, Sickens Hundreds

The US state of Texas is battling an outbreak of the West Nile virus, the mosquito-borne disease that killed at least 16 people and continues to sicken hundreds, authorities said.

Throughout the state, 381 people have been sickened since the start of the year, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

About Mosquito Diseases
Mosquito-borne diseases, like malaria, filaria, dengue, etc are common in places conducive of mosquito breeding. Swamps, ponds and stagnated drainage provide optimal breeding ground for mosquitoes.

"Texas is on track to have the most cases of West Nile illness since the disease first emerged in the state in 2002," it said in a statement.

The county incorporating Dallas, the ninth-largest city in the United States, has been the hardest hit with a total of 128 cases and 9 deaths, prompting the mayor to declare a local state of disaster.

"The City of Dallas is experiencing a widespread outbreak of mosquito-borne West Nile virus and has caused and appears likely to continue to cause widespread and severe illness and loss of life," Mayor Michael Rawlings said in the proclamation that takes effect Wednesday.

Mosquitoes Behind Spread of West Nile Virus Infections in Humans
Mosquitoes has been found to be the cause of spread of West Nile virus.

First discovered in Uganda in 1937, the virus is carried by birds and spread to humans by mosquitoes.

Severe symptoms can include high fever, vision loss and paralysis, while milder manifestations of the virus can range from headaches to skin rashes.

West Nile Virus Attacks Greece
The West Nile virus has claimed three casualties in Greece this month, and the health ministry has declared an all-out effort to fight against it.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of Tuesday 693 cases of the virus have been reported country-wide so far this year, including 26 deaths. Texas tops the list of both cases and fatalities.

In 2011, Texas saw a total of 27 cases and two deaths, the CDC said. Country-wide, 712 cases and 43 fatalities were reported over that 12-month period.

West Nile Virus Outbreak in Russia Kills 5, Over 100 Infected
Five people have died and over 100 have been infected in an outbreak of the West Nile virus in Volgograd, central Russia, where two million people are at risk of catching the mosquito-borne

In an effort to stem the number of new infections, Texas authorities have urged residents to use insect repellent before heading outdoors, remain inside at dusk and at dawn, dress in protective clothing and drain standing water that could become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Last month, officials in New York City said the West Nile virus had been detected on Staten Island, one of the city's five boroughs.

Source-AFP