By VERONICA GORDON
Hays County officials are reporting two more cases of residents with West Nile Virus. The county has reported six cases of the virus to date. No deaths have been reported.
The latest victims are in the 20 to 40-year-old range, according to reports.
Both are reported to have contracted the milder form of the virus, not the neuro-invasive type. They were treated as outpatients and were not hospitalized.
People over 50 years old and those with compromised immune systems are at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill when they become infected with the virus.
West Nile Virus, a mosquito-borne illness, can cause serious illness or death. Symptoms of the virus include stiff neck, visual problems, body tremors, mental confusion, memory loss and seizures. A milder form of the illness, known as West Nile Fever, causes symptoms that include fever, headache, muscle and bone aches, nausea and drowsiness.
People with the milder form of illness typically recover on their own, although symptoms may last for several weeks. Up to 80 percent of people infected with West Nile Virus will have no symptoms and will recover on their own.
Residents are urged to continue taking precautions to lower their risk of contracting the virus.
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