Q. Do birds infected with West
Nile Virus die
or become ill?
A. In the 1999 New York area
epidemic, there
was a large die-off of
American crows. West Nile
Virus has been
identified in more than 70 species
of
birds found dead in the United States.
Most
of these birds were identified
through reporting
of dead birds by the
public.
Q. Can you get West Nile Virus
directly from
birds?
A. There is no evidence that a
person can get
the virus from handling
live or dead infected birds. However,
persons should avoid barehanded contact
when handling any dead animals and use
gloves or double plastic bags to place the
carcass in a garbage can.
Q. How can I report a sighting
of dead bird(s) in my area?
A. If you find a dead bird,
particularly a crow or other corvid (e.g.,
jay, magpie, raven, etc.), please call the
number below promptly. The bird must be
dead no more than 24 hours to enable
testing for West Nile Virus. Do not touch
the bird. Department of Health Services
will record all dead bird reports and will
arrange for pickup and laboratory testing
for West Nile Virus when appropriate.
(Information on this
page obtained from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention)
For West Nile Virus
information updates call toll free:
877-WNV-BIRD (877-968-273)
WestNile.ca.gov
The San Bernardino
County food worker class is available
online and on DVD in both English and
Spanish. Anyone may take the class by
either format and then take the test.
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