E.B. officials: Dead birds tested
negative for West Nile virus
EAST BRUNSWICK — Township officials put rumors to rest on Monday regarding the recent discovery of five dead birds in the community.
The birds were sent to Trenton for testing last week, officials said, and all came back negative for the West Nile virus.
"There is no reason for alarm, despite what you may have heard," said Business Administrator Jim White. "The birds did not have the virus, and there have been no reports indicating otherwise since then."
Township officials claim to have been successful thus far in taking special precautions to keep the virus out of town.
The Middlesex County Mosquito Extermination Commission has proactively treated more than 800 locations in the township for the disease, and have also set up 24-hour hot lines for residents to call with any problems, concerns or questions.
Channel 8, the local cable access station, has also been airing the hot line numbers frequently throughout the day. Those numbers are 745-3100 (daytime) and 745-3271 (evenings).