A group of mosquitos caught in an area of Atlanta have tested positive for West Nile virus, the Fulton County Board of Health reports
Authorities say the positive test result was reported in a mosquito trap in the Grant Park neighborhood of Atlanta
“Mosquitoes can be dangerous if infected and may pose a serious health risk to people in our area. We want to make sure communities are aware and take necessary precautions to protect themselves,” says Dr. Brandon Leftwich, the environmental health director at the Fulton County Board of Health
Because of the positive test, the county will work with a mosquito control vendor to eliminate the insect while also visiting the neighborhood to spread awareness
Authorities recommend residents empty all containers holding standing water and cover any exposed skin with an insect repellent containing DEET
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people wear long, loose-fitting clothes when outside to make it harder for mosquitoes to bite them. Experts also suggest people avoid being outdoors around dusk and dawn, when the mosquitoes that carry the virus are most active
West Nile virus was first reported in the United States in 1999 in New York, and then gradually spread across the country. It peaked in 2003, when nearly 10,000 cases were reported
Scientists say many people — perhaps tens of thousands each year — are infected but don’t know it because they have no symptoms, or only mild ones such as headaches, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea and rashes
In severe cases, damage to the central nervous system causes potentially deadly inflammation of the brain or spinal cord. Adults older than 60 and people with underlying medical conditions or weakened immune systems face the highest risk of such complications
In the last decade, health officials have fielded reports of 2,000 cases annually on average, including 1,200 life-threatening neurological illnesses and about 100 deaths
The Associated Press contributed to this report
