Health Department Accepting Dead Birds for West Nile Testing

The Effingham County Health Department is accepting dead birds for West Nile Virus testing.

Birds accepted for this surveillance are: crow, blue jay, grackle, starling, sparrow, finch, robin, cardinal, fly catchers, swallow, cat bird, mocking bird and wren.

All birds submitted must have no obvious cause of death and be believed dead less than 48 hours.  Dead birds should be handled with rubber gloves, double-bagged in plastic bags and placed on ice.

Phone the Health Department at 342-9237 if you find a dead bird to submit for testing.