First Bird Tests Positive For West Nile Virus In Pennsylvania

The first positive test for West Nile Virus in a bird in Pennsylvania in 2015 was announced on Monday by the state’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Officials did not say precisely where the diseased bird was found.

There were 22 more mosquitoes that tested positive for the virus as well, the department said.

One of those mosquitoes was found at an undisclosed location in Upper Moreland Township.

West Nile was first confirmed in Pennsylvania in 2000 when it was found in a horse, mosquitoes, and birds.

There have been nearly 40,000 cases of West Nile in the United States since then, and 119 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

There have been no cases of West Nile in humans reported in Pennsylvania in 2015, although many western states have had positive tests, as the map above shows.

Positive bird tests are much rarer than positive mosquito tests. The DEP urges all residents to report dead bird sightings.

Here is the full list of positive mosquito tests announced by the state on Monday:

• Adams - Bonneauville Boro (5)

• Adams - Fairfield Boro

• Adams - Hamiltonban Twp

• Adams - Mount Pleasant Twp

• Bucks - Warminster Twp

• Chester - Phoenixville Boro

• Dauphin - Jefferson Twp

• Lehigh - Upper Macungie Twp

• Montgomery - Upper Moreland Twp

• Philadelphia - Philadelphia City

• York - Conewago Twp (3)

• York - Jackson Twp

• York - Manchester Twp

• York - Springettsbury Twp

• York - York City (2)

Nearby, Phoenixville and Schuylkill Township were recently sprayed after two positive tests in the borough within a matter of weeks.

Abington and Cheltenham were sprayed last Thursday.

Montgomery County health officials have issued a health alert, advising residents to take precautions, including:

• Stay indoors at dawn and dusk when mosquitos are most active
• Wear long sleeve shirts and long pants when outside
• Use insect repellents when mosquitoes are active
• Dispose of open containers that may collect water, such as tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots, etc.
• Drill holes in the bottom of outdoor recycling containers so that water will not collect
• Keep your property clear of old tires
• Clean roof gutters, particularly if leaves from surrounding trees have a tendency to plug drains
• Turn over plastic wading pools when not in use
• Turn over wheelbarrows and don’t let water stagnate in birdbaths
• Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish
• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools when not in use
• A swimming pool left untended by a family on vacation for a month can produce enough mosquitoes to result in neighborhood-wide complaints. Mosquitoes may even breed in the water that collects on pool covers
• For stagnant pools of water that cannot be removed or drained, homeowners can buy Bti products such as mosquito dunks at lawn/garden, outdoor supply, home improvement and other stores. This naturally occurring bacterial product kills mosquito larvae but is safe for people, pets, aquatic life and plants.

Officials say this “heightened” concern will likely remain in effect until the first frost in mid-October.

The chances of contracting West Nile Virus are very small and chances of becoming ill are even smaller. However, about 20% of infected individuals may experience flu-like symptoms that could include fever and a rash, according to Mayo Clinic.

In less than one percent of infected victims, West Nile causes a severe neurological infection which may cause confusion, convulsions, tremors, inflammation of the spinal cord, and coma, Mayo Clinic states.

Photo credit: CDC.