Cobb & Douglas Public Health officials confirmed Monday the first two human cases of West Nile virus this year in Georgia.
The patients, a 75-year-old man and 55-year-old woman, were both Cobb County residents and have been hospitalized and released, officials said. The disease is spread when people are bitten by infected mosquitoes.
"These cases reinforce the need for all of us to be vigilant in applying preventive measures to help control mosquito breeding," Chris Hutcheson, Center of Environmental Health director for Cobb & Douglas Public Health, said in a news release issued Monday.
"Everyone can help by doing simple things to ensure their own backyard is not a breeding ground for mosquitoes," Hutcheson said.
Preventive measures, health officials say, include getting rid of standing water in the yard; changing pet bowl water every few days, and refreshing water in a bird bath weekly.
Georgia generally sees 10 to 20 West Nile cases a year.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta said that as of July 24 nationwide, 65 human West Nile cases had been reported to the agency. The CDC reported 712 confirmed West Nile cases last year.
Most people infected with the virus do not show any ill effects, and others develop a mild illness called West Nile fever, health officials said.
Symptoms may include flu-like symptoms including headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, swollen lymph glands, and rash, officials said. Some people, though -- particularly those over the age of 50 -- can contract a severe case requiring hospitalization.
More information about the disease can be obtained at the CDC's West Nile website.
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