West Nile virus hits Georgia families, prompting urgent prevention reminders

Two Georgia families are grappling with West Nile virus infections: a Cobb County grandmother with a weakened immune system is in ICU after being infected, and a 76-year-old Cherokee County man has been hospitalized for weeks as the virus attacks his nervous system. Doctors warn that CNS involvement is rare but serious, especially for the elderly and immunocompromised, with recovery potentially taking months. Officials urge mosquito precautions and removing standing water, and Georgia reports its first West Nile death of the year as cases typically rise through October.