//Six Pools Test Positive For West Nile In Lowndes County

Six Pools Test Positive For West Nile In Lowndes County

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mosquito-3The Georgia Department of Public Health said Tuesday that six positive West Nile Virus mosquito samples were recorded in Lowndes County last week. 14 mosquito pools have tested positive for a mosquito borne disease so far this year: 13 for West Nile, and one for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE).

There have also been numerous cases of EEE confirmed in horses and one in a dog in South Georgia; and human cases of West Nile in Brantley County, and EEE in Clinch Co.

People are urged to take the following precautions:

  • Use insect repellent containing DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, or PMD.  Be sure to follow the instructions on the label.
  • Any containers that can collect water should be discarded or dumped daily.
  • Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks when outdoors, especially at dawn and dusk to reduce the amount of exposed skin, as weather permits.
  • Avoid being outdoors from dusk to dawn, peak mosquito biting times, if possible.
  • Set up outdoor fans to keep mosquitoes from flying near you.

Symptoms of West Nile include headache, fever, neck discomfort, muscle and joint aches, swollen lymph nodes and a rash that usually develop 3 to 14 days after being infected.

Read more from WALB here.