Texas Can't Swat Its West Nile Outbreak

The Texas Department of State Health Services say the number of West Nile virus cases and deaths in the state have more than doubled over the past two weeks.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Texas continues to lead the country in the number of cases of West Nile. According to the CDC, nearly 800 people across the state have been infected. More than 30 have died.

The outbreak continues to be centered around the Dallas area but Travis and Williamson counties have seen a combined total of 42 confirmed cases including two deaths.

Dr. Philip Huang is the Medical Director for Travis County Health and Human Services.

“Yeah, with our latest numbers, as I mentioned, we have 36 West Nile virus cases that have been identified in Travis County. Twenty of them were the neuroinvasive and 16 are the milder West Nile fever," Huang says.

Huang says the virus isn’t clustered in any one area of Travis County.