Mosquitoes in DeKalb, Fulton test positive for West Nile virus
Health officials in DeKalb and Fulton counties are urging residents to practice caution after mosquitoes from multiple areas tested positive for West Nile virus.
Four traps collected from Avondale Estates, Clarkston and unincorporated areas of DeKalb County near Stonecrest and Doraville contained mosquitoes that were carrying the virus, DeKalb Public Health announced Monday. The agency said Tuesday another mosquito surveillance trap in North Druid Hills tested positive.
The most recent tests make for a total of seven traps in the county that have contained mosquitoes with the virus since July 22, according to DeKalb Public Health.
Only two human cases of West Nile virus, a disease spread by mosquitoes through their bites, have been reported in the state of Georgia this calendar year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those cases were reported in Muscogee and Chatham counties. Both Fulton and DeKalb counties said they have not observed any human cases.
In all of 2025, the federal agency reported 18 human disease cases in Georgia. Nationwide, there were more than 2,100 cases last year, including 172 deaths, according to the agency’s data.
Health department authorities urge residents to take preventive measures to avoid mosquito bites. Residents should try to limit how much skin is exposed and use insect repellent containing DEET on any exposed skin.
Entomologist Natasha Agramonte runs DeKalb’s vector control program, which is designed to manage the population of disease-carrying creatures like mosquitoes, ticks and rodents. She said the county is treating storm drains, retention ponds and other areas where water tends to accumulate in the communities where the mosquitoes were found.
The DeKalb discovery comes days after officials in South Fulton suspended practices, programs and other activities at Old National Park because mosquitoes there tested positive for the virus.
Old National Park remains closed until further notice, and residents, contractors and permit-holders are being told to keep away because of the positive tests.
South Fulton Mayor Carmalitha Gumbs said the discovery was made during a routine round of testing of mosquitoes collected from the park. The Fulton County Department of Public Health is treating the area. The park closure will be reevaluated once the area is cleared by the county health department.
While some people show no symptoms when infected, about 1 in 5 will develop a fever or other flulike symptoms such as headaches, body aches or swollen lymph glands, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Older adults are at an increased risk of symptoms, Agramonte said. She added that children do not seem to be at an increased health risk for West Nile. The mosquito species found in DeKalb is mostly present at dusk and dawn, which further minimizes the risk of exposure to children during school or afterschool hours.
How to prevent mosquito bits and breeding
- Mosquitoes are most active during the summer’s dawn and dusk. Avoid outdoor activities during those times.
- Cover up exposed skin by wearing loose clothing with long sleeves and long pants.
- Use an insect repellent with DEET.
- Mosquitoes breed in standing water, so empty yard containers such as flowerpots, tarps and buckets.
- Keep mosquitoes out of your home by fixing broken doors and windows, repairing screens and cutting back any weeds or overgrown grass.
Source: Fulton County Board of Health