First Coast High's basketball coach is recovering from West Nile virus

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The same day, the Duval County Florida Health Department announced a seventh human case of West Nile virus infection. One of the recovering patients described his experience at News4Jax.

Fox Weaver, a women's basketball coach at First Coast High School, said that he did not remember being bitten by the mosquito that had transmitted West Nile virus to him.

He said that, living in Florida, he was often at the water's edge, a favorite spot for mosquitoes carrying the disease.

About a month ago, the 36-year-old coach and personal trainer had a big headache that he thought was a migraine.

Weaver tried to press for almost two weeks until he finally found himself in the emergency room.

"What I thought was a headache was actually the virus that was affecting my brain," Weaver said.

After many tests, doctors diagnosed the West Nile virus at Weaver. Weaver said that he had a rash on his forearm when he started to feel bad. Looking back, it was one of his earliest signs of West Nile virus.

Weaver spent six days in the hospital fighting symptoms of dizziness, weakness, dizziness and hearing loss. He lost 23 pounds and the disease affected his entire nervous system.

The Pearson Fitness coach at Fruit Cove had the habit of lifting a 125-pound dumbbell in each hand. Now his left side is so weak that he can only lift 15 pounds.

And getting to the end of the street is about as active as possible, but it gets stronger and stronger every day.

"I guess my best example is if you've seen" Space Jam ", it's like the monster is zapping your powers and taking full strength," Weaver said. "Obviously, naturally, in six days, it does not happen much, but it is obvious that my nervous system is related to weight lifting."

At present, the rate of West Nile virus in Duval County is the highest since 2012, when an outbreak caused 29 cases, including one death. This year's figures have more than doubled in all the intervening years.

Weaver says that knowing what could have happened, he was grateful for all he could do.

"I'm aware of the research, it could have been worse, because a lot of people are in a coma or have been paralyzed or things like that," Weaver said. "I think that my ability to work, eat healthy and be as strong is what helped me."

Weaver said that he would continue to rehabilitate himself with a hope of regaining his complete health.

The doctors said that they could not give an exact schedule for Weaver's full recovery because it varies for each patient. Weaver has been unemployed for a few weeks. He hopes to resume training next week.

The Duval County Health Department said it was impossible to try to avoid misquotes by draining stagnant water and eliminating anything that could collect water. 39, water, because it is impossible to know if mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus near your place of residence are infected with the virus.

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