DOUGHERTY COUNTY, GA -
This month health officials have confirmed three more West Nile virus vases in Dougherty County.
Dougherty County leads the state with 11 confirmed cases and two deaths.
And don't think the threat is disappearing just because the weather is cooling down.
Altogether 18 cases have been confirmed in the Southwest Public Health District and since more folks are spending time outside in the beautiful weather the threat remains strong.
Like many folks in South Georgia, Cathy Damico and her husband are taking advantage of the cooler weather
"We are out in the yard, by the pool and my husband is out in the yard all day long," said Cathy Damico.
But don't let the drop in temperatures fool you, you're still at risk for West Nile Virus.
"Folks do kind of think since its cooler the mosquitoes aren't biting but that's not so in Dougherty county," said Jackie Jenkins, Epidemiologist, Southwest Public Health District.
Just this month, health officials confirmed 3 more cases in Dougherty County that brings the total to 11. That's the most cases confirmed in any county in the state.
"We have the highest case count in any district and that includes the metro areas," said Jenkins.
The majority of these cases are popping up in older people a group considered high risk.
"The last three positive cases were in people 70 and older," said Jenkins.
And health officials are finding that in most of these cases, there is standing water nearby.
"Some of them have been really overgrown some had bird baths with actual larvae in it," said Jenkins.
She says turn containers, like flower pots upside down and if you set water outside for your pet, change it our every day.
"We can't do that, we love the lake, we have a pool in the back and a lake in the front so we have a lot of water," said Damico.
So in order to cut down their mosquitoes they are thinking about spraying their yard.
"When they spray your yard for mosquitoes the population drops drastically," said Jenkins.
She also plans to put on repellent more as well.
"We don't think about it we do what we have to do, we forget to put it on," said Damico.
So far, two people died from West Nile in Dougherty County the rest have recovered and have been released from the hospital.
In addition to those 11 cases in Dougherty County, health officials are working to confirm two probable cases as well.
Health departments were giving out free insect repellent.
You can call your local county health department to see if they still have any in stock.
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