Mosquitos trapped at multiple Fulton County parks test positive for West Nile virus
Fulton County officials say mosquitos trapped at multiple parks in the county have tested positive for West Nile virus.
On Wednesday night, the city of South Fulton shared a health alert that the virus had been detected in mosquito traps in three parks and one medical clinic.
The four locations where the virus was confirmed were:
- Orme Park on Brookridge Drive NE
- Frankie Allen Park on Pharr Road NE
- Welcome All Park on Will Lee Road
- Adamsville Regional Health Center on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SW
This was the first time West Nile virus was detected in insects caught at Welcome All Park this year. South Fulton officials say that the city's mosquito control vendor will treat all affected areas on Wednesday and Thursday, so long as the weather permits. After the treatment is done, the traps will be retested.
The city will also install signs at the affected parks to notify the public of the recent findings and the spraying.
Fulton County has previously detected the virus at Old National Park. In July, mosquitos that tested positive for West Nile virus were also found in Atlanta's Grant Park neighborhood.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms of West Nile virus include fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash. Severe illness can affect the central nervous system and result in hospitalization or death.
The CDC recommends using an insect repellent registered with the Environmental Protection Agency, wearing long, loose-fitting shirts and pants so it is harder for mosquitoes to bite your skin, and avoiding being outside between dusk and dawn when the mosquitoes that spread West Nile virus are most active.
