Houston reports eight cases of West Nile virus

HOUSTON - The Health Department of Houston, the largest city of the US state of Texas, confirmed on Thursday that the city has so far reported a total of eight cases of the West Nile virus.

Most of such cases occurred last week, with two reported lat Friday, according to the department.

Last week, the city also confirmed the first death from the virus, saying a man in his 70s to 80s died in southwest Houston.

In the state of Texas, the Dallas County has recorded 130 such cases ?with seven deaths from the virus.

Houston residents have been urged to keep mosquitos out of their homes as more victims of such virus were in fact bit inside their homes rather than from being outside.

Commonly seen in temperate and tropical regions, the West Nile virus was first identified in 1937 in Uganda, an East African nation in the West Nile sub-region.

The virus mainly infects birds, but is also known to infect human bodies mainly through mosquito biting. Scientists say about 80 percent of infections are symptomless.

The World Health Organization says treatment of this virus often involves hospitalization, intravenous fluids, respiratory support and prevention of secondary infections.