West Nile Virus Found in Fulton Co.

The state health department announced Tuesday that they have discovered the West Nile virus in mosquitoes that were caught for testing in Fulton County.

There has not been a lot attention given to the West Nile virus since it first appeared in 1999 and roared to the front of the public’s consciousness. In recent years, the virus has moved west, and its impact in Georgia has lessened.

The state’s health departments still trap mosquitoes and test for mosquito-borne diseases each year, and every year, they have discovered the West Nile virus in mosquitoes.

Tuesday’s announcement was the first of the season. Officials said the recent rains have pumped up the mosquito population, and they warn the peak of the West Nile season is still to come.

“We usually see the greatest number of cases in late August and early September, so we’d like to get the word out now, that people need to worry about mosquito-borne viruses and take precautions to protect themselves against mosquito bites,” said Dr. Susan Lance of the Georgia Department of Health.

Standing water is the mosquito’s friend — and they don’t need a lot of it to breed. On the flip side, heavy rain can be a good thing. It can wash away mosquito eggs and larvae, and only one in 150 people who get West Nile, become seriously ill.