County Asks Residents To Submit Dead Birds For Testing

The Allegheny County Health Department is beginning its annual surveillance for west nile virus and is asking residents to report and submit certain dead birds for testing. The department is asking that dead crows, hawks, owls, blue jays, falcons, ravens and buzzards be reported and submitted. No birds have tested positive since 2006 and only two mosquito's tested positive for west nile virus last year. When west nile virus is transmitted to humans about 80% of victims do not get sick, but symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting and sometimes swollen lymph glands or skin rash.