By Sept. 18, 48 states reported West Nile virus infections in people, birds and mosquitos. This has been called the worst case of West Nile virus that Texas has ever seen. There have been 1,630 neuroinvasive cases, which usually include meningitis and other serious illnesses, and 1,512 non-neuroinvasive cases. So far, there have been 55 total deaths in Texas. Around the country, there have been 3,142 cases reported and at least 134 deaths. However, Texas holds the most with 40% of the nation’s reported cases.

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, this is the worst year ever for West Nile illness in Texas and it is still too early to see if the state has seen the worst of the epidemic. Out of Texas, the Dallas/Fort Worth area has seen the worst of the virus with at least 29 deaths. In order to help slow the epidemic, on Aug. 16, Dallas County officials launched an aerial attack on the mosquitos of certain parts of North Texas.

“Personally, I believe that the threat and danger of West Nile is being slightly exaggerated, but aerial and ground spraying probably cannot hurt,” senior Jennifer Schein said.

There were others in the state that did not approve of the aerial spraying.

“People say that the insecticide is harmful to other animals and plants, and they are right,” senior David Rosen said. “It hurts the environment; it is poison.”

The spray wiped out 93% of the mosquito population in Dallas County. However, people of North Texas should still be aware of West Nile as the threat has not completely disappeared.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, there will still be more human cases appearing because the disease could not be completely contained.

As of Sept. 10, Dallas County decided that they may need to take a few more steps in preventing the spreading of the disease. Currently, Dallas County has no agency or program with the goal of preventing the virus; they have four employees working for the entire city while places like Sacramento have 70 employees. Dallas also has no secure budget for dealing with the epidemic. Those funds are crucial for doing activities such as testing dead birds to see if they are carriers, aerial spraying for human disease and using larvicide to prevent more mosquitos. A Dallas mosquito agency may be in consideration. This group would take charge of ensuring that West Nile prevention occurs and treatment for the problem is being carried out as thoroughly as possible.

According to Jenkins, this is one of the options that will be discussed with a public health committee that has input from the 31 cities in the area.

Citizens of Dallas should be aware that the threat is not over and should continue taking precautions against the mosquitos and the disease they may carry. When going outside, people should be using bug spray with Deet. Mosquitos mostly come out during the dawn and dusk so if a person is planning to go outside at that time of night, they should be covered in long pants and long sleeves to avoid getting bitten.

“I did not spend as much time outside at night because I tend to attract lots of mosquitos,” junior Alexa Remer said. “But if I do go outside at night, I would wear bug repellent.”

While Texas is experiencing the worst of the epidemic, a majority of people in Dallas County found themselves unaffected by the West Nile virus.

“West Nile did absolutely nothing to my summer plans,” Rosen said. “Except more people smelled like Deet.”