Tuesday - May 02, 2006
New Program Will Help Track West Nile in Birds
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) and Champaign County Public Health Department (CCPHD) will begin collecting dead birds to test for West Nile Virus. Reporting of dead birds is a good way to check for West Nile Virus activity in the environment and allow implementation of prevention and control measures to minimize the spread of the virus.
The Illinois Department of Public Health has determined that CUPHD and CCPHD combined may send a total of 10 birds in 2006 to the laboratory for testing. Birds that may be accepted for testing are perching birds such as crows, blue jays, robins, grackles, starlings, sparrows, finches, cardinals, flycatchers, swallows, catbirds, mockingbirds, warblers and wrens. To be useful for testing, the birds must have died within the 24 hours, have no maggots or other visible injuries and be in general good condition.
Read the full press relase. (PDF)