DEKALB COUNTY, GA — DeKalb Public Health says four additional mosquito surveillance traps have tested positive for mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus.
According to DeKalb County Public Health officials, the traps were found in ZIP codes covering Avondale Estates, Clarkston, Stonecrest and parts of unincorporated DeKalb near Atlanta and Doraville.
Health officials say there have been no confirmed human cases of West Nile virus in DeKalb County in 2026.
“In addition to trapping and testing mosquitoes, our seasonal technicians work with residents to eliminate them,” DeKalb County Public Health officials said. “Measures include placing larvicide in areas with standing water, like inside storm drains. This keeps young mosquitoes from becoming flying, biting adults. Larvicides do not harm people, pets, or the environment.”
DeKalb County Public Health reminds residents to take the following precautions now and throughout the summer and fall:
- Reduce mosquito breeding in your yard by eliminating standing water in gutters and remove or dump water from items such as planters, toys, wheelbarrows, and old tires once a week.
- Discourage mosquitoes from resting in your yard by trimming tall grass, weeds, and vines.
- Make sure window and door screens fit tightly to keep mosquitoes out of your home.
- Reduce your outdoor exposure at dawn and dusk, when the mosquitoes that transmit West Nile Virus are most active.
- Use an insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535. Apply according to label instructions.
- Spray clothing with products containing permethrin according to label instructions.
- Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks when outdoors, particularly at dawn and dusk and in areas with large numbers of mosquitoes.
For more information about West Nile virus, contact DeKalb Public Health’s Environmental Health division at (404) 508-7900 or visit the website.
