Robbins Announces $70,280 Mercer County Grant to Monitor for West Nile Virus

Harrisburg – State Senator Bob Robbins (R-50) today announced the awarding of a $70,280 state grant to determine if the West Nile Virus is present in Mercer County.

Robbins said the funding will be used to implement a mosquito monitoring and virus surveillance program to determine if the virus is present in Mercer County and to assist in alerting residents about the issue.

There have been no reported cases in Pennsylvania in 2006, and none was reported in Mercer County in 2005. However, two samples did test positive in Crawford County in 2005. The virus can infect humans, birds, mosquitoes, horses and some other mammals, affecting the nervous system.

"It's important that we help counties keep a lid on this problem through monitoring and surveillance," said Robbins. "It's not a problem in Mercer County and we want to keep it that way."

To combat the spread of the virus, Pennsylvania has developed a comprehensive network covering all 67 counties. It includes trapping mosquitoes, collecting dead birds and monitoring horses, people and sentinel chickens.

The grant was awarded through the state Mosquito Surveillance Program, which is administered by the state Department of Environmental Protection.

CONTACT:

Mike Hengst
(717) 787-1322