Tejano singer's paralysis flags Texas West Nile risk amid mosquito surge

A Tejano singer, Fernando Silva, was left paralyzed from the neck down after contracting West Nile virus from a mosquito bite in 2024, later diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome. Fort Bend County has declared a public health emergency amid a surge of West Nile–positive mosquitoes, with aerial spraying and ongoing ground treatments. Officials urge prevention measures—eliminate standing water, use effective repellents (DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus), wear long sleeves and treated clothing, and limit outdoor time at dawn and dusk—while warning that other mosquito-borne illnesses such as Zika, Dengue, and Chikungunya are possible in the area.