First Case Of West Nile Virus Confirmed In DeKalb County

DECATUR, GA — The DeKalb County Board of Health confirmed its first human case of West Nile virus infection in the county. The patient, a female in her 50S, who resides in east Atlanta, has recovered. This is the first case of West Nile virus in a human in 2019. Last year, DeKalb County had two human cases of West Nile virus, one of them being fatal.

There is no specific treatment for West Nile virus. Patients are treated with supportive therapy as needed.

The DeKalb County Board of Health is working to educate the public, including conducting door-to-door campaigns, so that individuals can help protect themselves, their homes and their communities by eliminating mosquito breeding sites. Individuals, especially those aged 50 or over, or those with compromised immune systems, are urged to take precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.

To avoid mosquito bites, residents are advised to:

• Minimize outdoor activities between dusk and dawn.
• Wear shoes and socks, long pants and long-sleeved shirts when mosquitoes are active.
• Use mosquito repellent, following label directions carefully.
• Make sure all windows and doors have screens, and that all screens are in good repair.
• Keep mosquitoes from laying eggs inside and outside of your home. Once a week, empty and scrub, turn over, cover, or throw out containers that hold water, such as vases, pet water bowls, flowerpot saucers, discarded tires, buckets, pool covers, birdbaths, trash cans and rain barrels.

To reduce mosquitoes in and around your home:

• Reduce mosquito breeding in your yard by eliminating standing water in gutters and items such as planters, toys, wheelbarrows and old tires.
• Discourage mosquitoes from resting in your yard by trimming tall grass, weeds and vines.
• Make sure window and door screens fit tightly to keep mosquitoes out of your home.

To prevent being bitten by mosquitoes:

• Reduce outdoor exposure at dawn and dusk, when the mosquitoes that transmit West Nile virus are most active.
• Use an insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535. Apply according to label instructions.
• Spray clothing with products containing permethrin. Also apply according to label instructions.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks when outdoors, particularly at dawn and dusk and in areas with large numbers of mosquitoes.

Health officials routinely trap mosquitoes throughout the county, which are tested for viruses. Technicians also work with residents to reduce mosquito infestations including placing larvicide in sources of standing water, like storm drains. This keeps young mosquitoes from becoming flying biting adults.