Fayette County officials are

stepping up their efforts to be on the lookout for the West Nile virus,

since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently confirmed

the first Georgia case involving a human.

"We thought it was important

to reemphasize the greater impact," said Richard Fehr of the Environmental

Health Division of the Fayette County Health Department, after recent

reports regarding the death of a metro Atlanta man from the virus.

Health experts believe that,

while there has not been a positive test result of the virus in Fayette,

it is alive and well in Georgia and there is no indication it will leave

in the immediate future, according to a Fayette County Health Department

statement.

Since West Nile is known to

be carried and spread by mosquitoes, efforts to keep tabs on it were curtailed

last winter when the cold weather drove mosquitoes out of the area. "That's

when there's not a threat for humans to be infected," said Fehr.

Georgia will likely have only

a handful of human cases this year, and birds have tested positive in

only a few of the state's 159 counties, the Health Department announced

recently. Testing of dead birds is one of the best ways to see if the

virus has spread.

"Testing of birds is not

free to the Georgia taxpayer in regards to lab costs, postage and staff

time," according to the Health Department. "To conserve resources,

scientifically appropriate testing is being, and will continue to be,

done in Fayette County."

Bird testing has been limited

to crows, bluejays and birds of prey or raptors, such as owls and hawks.

Those are the birds mostly likely to die from the West Nile virus, the

Health Department said.

Many people will respond to

announcements about the virus by doing more spraying for mosquitoes, but

Fehr cautions local residents to recognize the relatively low effectiveness

of such a practice.

"We want them to understand

that there are some negatives," he said about widespread spraying

for mosquitoes. "Spraying yourself if OK."

Spraying is most common in

coastal counties, and some is being done in Clayton County. But it only

kills, under the best of circumstances, 1 percent of the mosquito population,

Fehr said.

Birds that have died within

24 hours and are in relatively good condition, with no evidence of physical

trauma or decay, can be submitted to the testing lab at the University

of Georgia in Athens.

Anyone finding a dead crow,

bluejay or bird of prey believed to be in the proper condition for testing

should use a glove or shovel to place in a plastic bag, double-bag it

and contact the Health Department. If there are multiple birds, wrap each

one separately.

Birds are shipped Monday through

Friday. If found Friday evening, Saturday os Sunday, the bird must be

refrigerated until Monday morning.

The Fayette County Health Department

is sensitive to the public's growing concern as awareness increases,"

according to a recent statement. "Concern should lead to caution

and attention, not fear. Please remember that about 1,500 to 2,000 Georgians

die in car crashes each year and therefore represent a much greater risk

to an individual."

Residents are also reminded

to reduce mosquito breeding by eliminating standing water from around

the home, and protect themselves from mosquitoes by wearing mosquito repellent,

limiting outdoor activities at dusk and dawn, and wearing long pants,

shoes and shirts when outdoors.

For more information, contact

the Fayette County Health Department at 770-460-5730, ext. 5415.

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