Midtown Mosquitoes Test Positive For West Nile Virus

Midtown residents who spend time outdoors should take extra precautions against mosquitoes, as some specimens collected in the area have tested positive for carrying the West Nile Virus.

CBS 46 reports that mosquitoes in the Beltline near the Old Fourth Ward Skate Park tested positive for the virus. Mosquitoes in Grove Park, Perkerson park, and Washington Park were also discovered to be carrying the virus.

West Nile Virus is transmitted by the bite of a mosquito, but the Mayo Clinic says that 80 percent of people bitten by an infected mosquito will have no symptoms of the disease. Around 20 percent will get a mild illness called West Nile Fever, and less than one percent of people will develop a serious neurological infection.

The CDC recommends that to avoid infection, people use insect repellent when outdoors, wear long sleeves, pants, and socks when weather permits, and take extra precautions during daylight hours, which is when mosquitoes are the most active.