Fulton County is responding to the first positive mosquito-trap test for West Nile virus this year. Officials warn it’s a sign of more infected mosquitoes in the area around Grant Park.
“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,” Dr. Brandon Leftwich, environmental health director at the Fulton County Board of Health, said in a written statement.
The virus is a mosquito-borne illness found throughout the state, with those over 50 and those with compromised immune systems at greatest risk.
The board is urging Atlantans to help prevent mosquito bites and breeding near their homes and businesses. They also state that they are working with a mosquito-control vendor to eliminate any insects reported in the area.
Recommended precautions include regularly trimming the grass, bushes and weeds, and draining containers of standing water, which are breeding grounds for virus-carrying mosquitoes.
