Pennsylvania Details Its Plan To Deal With West Nile Virus
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) On behalf of Gov. Tom
Ridge, Pennsylvania state offi
cials today announced that on
April 3, the Commonwealth will
launch its program to detect and
control mosquitoes that carry
the West Nile virus which struck
New York last year.
“Although the West Nile
virus has not been found in
Pennsylvania, starting April 3
we will be ready in case the virus
spreads into the Common
wealth,” Department of Health
Secretary Robert S. Zimmer
man, Jr. said.
The departments of Health,
Environmental Protection
(DEP), Agriculture, Aging, and
Conservation and Natural Re
sources, and the Fish and Boat
and Game commissions will
work together and with local
governments to implement the
comprehensive, statewide plan.
“Pennsylvania’s plan has
three parts public and profes
sional education, surveillance
and, if the surveillance program
determines there is a risk, the
control of mosquitoes that carry
the virus,” DEP Secretary
James M. Seif said. “Through
early detection and control, we
believe we stand the best oppor-
For Installed \ \ \ \
STANDING SEAM ROOFING \ \ \ \
contact \ \ \ \
STRICKLER METAL \\ \ \
ROOFING \ \ \ \
717-865-3093 \\\\
or 610-488-9303 \ \ \ \
Specializing in double crimp standing seam
Available In
20 + prefinished Colors
Galvalume - Galvanized - Tern - Etc.
FREE ESTIMATES
Work Approx. 60 Miles Radius of Lebanon, Pa.
RD #2 Box 350-A Annville, PA 17003
Becky Wmgert holding Megan, 9 months;
Emily, 4 years old standing in front, Mike Wmgert
holding Ryan, 2 years old.
Menno Sollenburger, 6 year technician from
Franklin County
tunity to prevent the virus from
spreading.”
DEP has been charged with
the mosquito surveillance and
control portion of the multi
agency effort to control disease
outbreaks in Pennsylvania. Cur
rent plans call for DEP to estab
lish more than 500 mosquito
monitoring sites across the
Commonwealth to trap mosqui
toes and sample mosquito larvae
so they can be identified and an
alyzed.
The Department of Agricul
ture will be involved in monitor
ing birds, chickens, and horses
for West Nile virus. The Depart
ment of Health will be working
with physicians and other health
care professionals to monitor
public health through local out
reach efforts with county and
municipal health departments.
If the virus is detected in mos
quitoes or animals, a mosquito
control program will be imple
mented to kill the infected mos
quitoes.
“DEP will work with counties
and local governments to pro
vide 100 percent funding for
local control programs,” Seif
said. “Once control programs
have started, they will have to
continue until the virus has been
When your ready for the
Experience, Dedication
you expect from a DHIA,
then call
Pennsylvania DHIA
controlled.”
DEP also will work with the
counties adjacent to New Jersey
that are considered to be at
higher risk to develop an early
mosquito control program.
To help educate citizens,
Pennsylvania’s Physician Gen
eral, Dr. Robert Muscalus, has
prepared a message to residents
and local governments about the
potential for the appearance of
West Nile virus in the state and
the protective actions anyone
can take to help prevent it.
“We must be aware of where
water can collect and stagnate
on our property, and do our best
to keep these places free from
standing water,” said Physician
General Robert S. Muscalus.
“Mosquitoes can breed in four
days in standing water in such
places like flower pots, cans,
birdbaths, small ponds, tires and
other containers which do not
provide drainage or movement
of water. By preventing mosqui
toes from breeding, residents
can go a long way to protect
their health.”
A website containing basic in
formation about West Nile virus
www.WestNile.state.pa.us
also has been established to pro
vide citizens with background
WATERLESS TOILETS
“Sun-Mar”
Composting
Toilets
Several models available
including non-electric
• NO Septic System
•NO Chemicals
Save the Environment!
Recycle Back to Nature>
FREE:
12 Page Color Catalog
We Perform Septic Inspections &
Certifications
ECO-TECH Call Today 1-800-879 0973
“ (9wt technician,
Jienna give# u# tame
A ’eepoxt#, keep 6 u# tested in a
timeiy, fa#kion, tag.# coined and
maintain# owe coif kook.
u# keep owe kend identified”!
and Honesty
Where's your mustache? “
information and regular up
dates. Visitors can log on and
sign up to receive news releases
and other updates on West Nile
automatically by e-mail.
The West Nile virus is spread
to people by the Northern house
mosquito infected with the virus.
It was previously only found in
Africa, Eastern Europe and
West Asia.
Mosquitoes acquire the virus
from infected birds and horses.
Those mosquitoes then transmit
the virus to people and other an
imals. West Nile virus, when
transmitted to humans can
cause West Nile Encephalitis.
West Nile Encephalitis is an in
fection that can cause an inflam
mation of the brain.
People older than 50 years of
age have the highest risk of de
veloping severe illness because,
as people age, their bodies have
a harder time fighting off dis
ease. People with compromised
immune systems also are at risk.
However, anyone can get the
virus.
Gov. Ridge’s 2000-01 budget
proposes $9.8 million in new
funding to prevent and mitigate
the potential public-health ef
fects of West Nile virus on citi-
zens of the Commonwealth. The
funds will provide necessary
staffing and an improved epi
demiological infrastructure to
detect the virus should it find its
way into Pennsylvania.
In New York City last
summer, seven of the 61 people
infected with the virus died. All
of the people who died from the
virus were 75 or older. Birds that
tested positive for West Nile
virus were found last summer in
New Jersey, New York and
Maryland.
New York City, New Jersey,
and Connecticut successfully
sprayed pesticides to kill in
fected mosquitoes and stopped
further spread of the 1999 dis
ease outbreak.
The U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention are
working with a group of 14
states including Pennsylvania
believed to have some risk of
seeing the virus this summer to
develop a cooperative program
of surveillance.
For more information on the
West Nile virus, visit the Penn
sylvania website at
www.state.pa.us or www.West-
Nile.state.pa.us.
• Badger Barn Cleaner Complete 82 ft. as is
• Patz Barn Cleaner Complete 50 ft. as is
• 100’ center charge Jamesway Feeder
• Star Line Rollermill
• Big Jim 20' Dia. Silo Unloader (Old Style)
• 24 Ft. Big Jim Unloader
• 25 Ft. Big Jim B.U.C.S. System
• Vl-12 ft. Unloader complete w/Hexapod Hoist
• Jamesway *ft4*|Wjlumaster, Complete -
Excellent 0
• Silo-Matic 20 ft. Ring Drive
All In Good Condition
★ STAR SILO ★
Myerstown, PA
800-431-7709