More West Nile in Hall

GAINESVILLE - West Nile Virus has been found in three more dead birds in Hall County. That brings to five the number of confirmed cases in the county.

The first two were reported last week - in a Blue Jay and a crow. The latest cases - reported Thursday - involve two Blue Jays and a crow.

State health officials have said they are not performing wholesale testing of dead birds found in Georgia. They are asking that you report any dead bird that appears to have been dead less than 24 hours and has no visible sign of injury. They say you should call your local health department. Your call will be
documented and, if necessary, someone will come pick the bird up.

Birds should be handled with gloves and placed in a double plastic bag.

Dr. Meloday Stancil, Director of the Gainesville-based North Health District, said last Friday in reporting the first two cases of the disease in Hall County that the public should not panic, that the chances of human infection is very low.

Dr. Stancil said the county was embarking on a larvicide program in an effort to kill mosquitoes in standing water before they hatch. She said larvicide can be purchased for private use at such places as home improvement stores.

Dr. Stancil also said you should protect yourself from mosquito bites by wearing long sleeves and pants and using insect repellents containing DEET while outside, and by limiting outdoors activity at dawn and dusk, when mosquitos are most active.