Mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus turned up in traps at two Roswell parks and several Sandy Springs locations, though follow-up testing after treatment came back negative at the Roswell sites.
What’s happening: The Fulton County Board of Health confirmed West Nile virus in mosquito traps at Roswell Area Park and Garrard Landing Park in Roswell, and at Big Trees Forest Preserve and the Dorothy C. Benson Senior Complex in Sandy Springs. Residents near the Sandy Springs locations were notified. Both Roswell parks stayed open, and scheduled programs and activities continued as planned.
What’s new: Spray trucks treated areas within a quarter-mile of the positive trap sites in Roswell on Sept. 1 and Sept. 2, starting at 9 p.m. each night and running about an hour. Follow-up tests at Roswell Area Park and Garrard Landing Park came back negative for West Nile virus, the county reported Sept. 9. Signs about mosquito activity and prevention were posted at the affected parks while monitoring continues.
How treatment worked: Trucks drove through designated areas at about 15 mph, spraying at dusk to avoid harming bees and other pollinators. The county says the treatment is safe for people and pets. A positive mosquito trap result does not mean anyone has been infected.
What to know: The county conducts routine mosquito testing in public parks. A positive result alone is not grounds for closing a park, according to the Board of Health, which will keep testing and issue new guidance if the risk level changes.
What you can do: The Board of Health recommends the following steps to reduce exposure:
- Use an EPA-registered insect repellent when outdoors.
- Wear long sleeves and pants, especially around dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
- Empty standing water from flowerpots, buckets, birdbaths, gutters, and other outdoor containers.
- Check that window and door screens are in good condition.
For more information, call the Fulton County Board of Health at (770) 520-7500 or visit FultonCountyBOH.com.
B.T. Clark is the Publisher of The Georgia Sun and author of Principles Are Like Pants… You Ought to Have Some. Over two decades in journalism, he has served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc., earning multiple awards along the way. His work has appeared in newspapers across the state, including The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal.
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
