The patient was admitted to the hospital after a fever and headache that began on Aug. 1 worsened on Aug. 3. The patient was discharged from the hospital on Aug. 7 and is recovering at home.

In 2003, Tarrant County Public Health has confirmed one human case of WNV in an elderly east Fort Worth man. The Arlington case brings the number of probable cases under investigation to two. The other case is that of a 12-year-old Keller girl.

TCPH began the battle against WNV earlier this year by training qualified representatives from cities in the county to trap mosquitoes as part of the County’s mosquito surveillance project. The project, which Arlington participates in, helps cities zero in on the location of mosquitoes with WNV, allowing them to take measures to combat its spread.

Mosquitoes can become infected when they feed on infected birds; an infected mosquito may transmit the virus when it bites a human.

People can protect themselves and reduce the mosquito population by following the Four D’s:

• Dusk and dawn are the times of day you should try to stay indoors. This is when infected mosquitoes are most active.
• Dress in long sleeves and pants when you're outside. For extra protection, you may want to spray thin clothing with repellent.
• DEET is an ingredient to look for in your insect repellent. Follow label instructions, and always wear repellant when outdoors.
• Drain standing water in your yard and neighborhood where mosquitoes can breed. This includes old tires, flowerpots, clogged rain gutters, etc. Mosquitoes may develop in any water stagnant for more than three or four days.