AUSTIN, Texas — The number of West Nile Virus cases is growing.
On Wednesday, a mosquito trap sample collected at Lakewood Park in Leander tested positive for the virus.
That's just one of several traps that has tested positive this summer. This week, we learned there are now two people who've gotten sick from West Nile Virus in Central Texas alone.
As of July 23, there are now nine human cases of West Nile Virus across Texas. Dr. Varun Shetty, the state's chief epidemiologist, said three of those cases include neurological symptoms.
"Among those, three have had what we call neurologic illness, or disease that is affecting our nervous system or nerves, our brain," Shetty said.
West Nile Virus comes from infected mosquitoes. Most of the time, those infected with the virus will have symptoms such as headache, fever, muscle and joint pain, nausea and fatigue.
Shetty said neurological symptoms are extremely rare.
"Much more rarely, in less than 1% of cases," Shetty said. "And the types of symptoms we talk about are things more like neck stiffness, confusion, sometimes tremors or seizures. And then, in the most extreme cases, even death."
On July 23, Hays County officials announced there is a confirmed human case in the county. However, although there seems to be a higher level of neurological cases of West Nile, Shetty said it's too soon in the season to tell the severity of this year's strain of infection.
"We haven't seen anything that would make us think that this form of or whatever is circulating right now is worse than in past years," Shetty said. "But we know that there are a lot of mosquitoes out there right now."
Shetty said there are important and easy ways to protect yourself from getting sick.
"Wearing long sleeves, wearing pants to kind of create a barrier of protection to to limit the chances for mosquitoes to bite you, using insect repellent like products that include Deet in them," Shetty said.
Serving as a reminder to all Austinites: these mosquitoes are attracted to pools of standing water, so be sure to keep your space clear and dry.