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North Carolina West Nile Monitoring Efforts



We apologize for the intrusion and cross postings.  Because your group
  is active outdoors, we would like to bring the following information
to
  your attention.

  North Carolina is actively conducting surveillance for West Nile
Virus,
  an arbovirus that is transmitted by mosquitoes.  New York City
  experienced an outbreak of disease caused by the virus last year,
leading to the deaths
  of people, several horses and hundreds of birds, especially crows and
  jays.

  In order to increase monitoring and surveillance capabilities, the
  Public Health Pest Management Section of the Division of Environmental

  Health, NCDENR, is asking that you report any unusual crow, jay or
  raptor (birds of prey, such as hawks, falcons, and their relatives)
behavior
  or mortality.  Specifically we are interested in any crow, jay or
raptor
  that appears to be affected by a neurologic disorder; these birds
would
  be unable to perch or fly and may act confused or dazed. Also
  please report any dead crows, jays or raptors that do not appear to
have
  an identifiable cause of death i.e. trauma, predator, etc.  We ask
that
  dead birds be placed inside a double layer of plastic bags and kept in
a
  refrigerator or cooler, until they can be picked up by an agent of
  Public Health Pest Management.  Please record the following
information on a piece of paper to accompany the bird:

       your name
       your address
       your phone number
       the date the bird was found
       the county the bird was found in

  As a precaution, we recommend the use of
  gloves and thorough hand washing after handling live or dead birds.

  In addition, we would like to have any information you may have on
crow
  roosts throughout North Carolina.  We will evaluate their locations
and
  may send a staff member to survey the area.  If there are any crow
  roosts in areas that your frequent, we would like to request your
  assistance in monitoring these roosts for potential problems.

  As you enjoy the natural beauty North Carolina has to offer, we
caution
  you to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites.  We recommend the use

  of insect repellents, long sleeves and pants, and avoiding exposure
  during prime mosquito times, particularly dawn and dusk.

  For more information on West Nile Virus and other diseases mosquitoes
  may carry, please refer to our web site at:
  http://www.deh.enr.state.nc.us/phpm/pages/index.htm  and specifically
  http://www.deh.enr.state.nc.us/phpm/pages/WNVAlert.htm

  To contact us directly regarding bird mortality or illness, please
  e-mail our West Nile Virus Alert e-mail address at ncwnv@ncmail.net or

  call our hotline at 1-877-790-1747.  You can also reach our offices at

  (919) 733-6407 during normal State Government business hours ( 8-5,
  M-F).

  We are also maintaining an e-mail list for WNV information related
  to North Carolina.  If you want to be added to this list, send an
e-mail
  to Nolan.Newton@ncmail.net asking to be added.

  This e-mail is being sent to the following lists:
  Carolina Birds
  Carolina Leps
  NC Wildflower

  We would like to encourage you to forward this e-mail to any other
North Carolina
  groups that you feel would benefit from this information, or you may
  send us their address and we will forward the information to them.

  Thank you for your help and cooperation.

  Nolan Newton, Ph.D.
  Chief, Public Health Pest Management Section
  Division of Environmental Health
  NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources