Two dead crows were found in West Windsor Township.
By: Gwen Runkle
WEST WINDSOR Two dead crows found in the township tested positive for the West Nile virus last week, marking the first discovery of the virus in Mercer County this year.
One crow was found in Mercer County Park on June 29 and the other was found near Old Trenton Road within the next two days, said Township Health Officer Robert Hary.
In total, 11 crows found in West Windsor have been tested for the virus this year and the recent positive results were not surprising, according to Mr. Hary.
"West Nile is endemic to the area, so this is not a surprise. It’s here," he said. "This serves as a reminder for people to protect themselves from mosquito bites whenever possible, especially in the early evening when the mosquitoes are most active," he said.
The West Nile virus is carried from infected animals to humans by mosquitoes. If bitten by an infected mosquito, healthy people generally have mild to moderate flu-like symptoms or none at all. The virus cannot be spread among humans and there is no known cure.
Last year, 11 dead birds in Mercer County tested positive for the West Nile virus and one of the six people statewide who tested positive for the virus died, said Dennis McGowan, spokesman for the state Health and Senior Service Department.
"This is the first incident this year for Mercer County," he said. "The farthest south we have detected the virus is Camden County."
Finding the two positive crows in West Windsor will not change what is already being done to prevent the spread of the virus, Mr. Hary said.
The Mercer County Mosquito Commission will continue to spray to control mosquitoes using larvicides to control breeding locations and will spray to kill adult mosquitoes should someone call in about a problem area, he said.
Contact the Mercer County Mosquito Commission at (609)-530-7501.