The number of birds reported to the Department has increased significantly in the past two weeks. According to Vermont State Epidemiologist Peter Galbraith, New York and Massachusetts continue to get positive bird results and the New Hampshire Health Department announced the finding of an infected bird in Manchester, New Hampshire yesterday. He emphasized the need to continue common sense precautions, particularly for the elderly, to prevent mosquito bites and reduce mosquito breeding areas. Testing dead birds is one part of the state's West Nile virus surveillance program and is ongoing. In addition, the Department of Agriculture is trapping and testing mosquitoes for West Nile virus.
People get West Nile virus from the bite of an infected mosquito.
West Nile virus first appeared in the United States in 1999, when at least 62 people in the New York City area got sick and seven people died. So far this year, the virus has been detected in mosquitoes and birds in several states including New Hampshire, New York and Massachusetts, as well as six people in the New York City area. Common sense precautions recommended by the Health Department include wearing long sleeves and pants when outside, limiting outdoor time at dawn and dusk and other times when mosquitoes are out, using insect repellants that contain DEET according to directions and not on infants, and reducing the presence of standing water. Any puddle or standing water that lasts for more than four days can become a breeding ground, so people should empty clogged gutters, change the water in the bird bath regularly, turn over the wading pool or wheel barrel and get rid of old tires.