The State of California is still requesting that residents of Stanislaus County report dead birds to the state hotline at 1-877-WNV-BIRD. Birds of particular interest to the state are crows, ravens, magpies, jays and raptors (hawk or eagle).

If you have found a dead bird on your property, please contact the California Department of Health Services by calling toll free 1-877-WNV-BIRD (1-877-968-2473) to report the dead bird, or you may submit the information via the web site http://westnile.ca.gov/deadbird.cfm.

If you are instructed to dispose of the dead bird, or if the dead bird has not been picked up by five o’clock (5 p.m.) on the day it was reported, please follow these guidelines:

• Avoid touching the dead bird with your bare hands. Ensure that your clothing does not come in contact with the dead bird or any blood, secretions or feces from the dead bird.
• Use gloves or multiple heavy-duty plastic bags to pick up the dead bird.
• Grasp the dead bird with your hand inside the plastic bags. Turn the plastic bags inside-out over the dead bird so the dead bird is now inside the plastic bags and your hands are on the outside of the plastic bags. Be sure that the beak or claws do not puncture the bags.
• Tightly seal the two bags.
• Dispose of the "double-bagged" bird carcass by placing it in a trash container. Ensure that the trash container is secure from children and animals while awaiting pickup from your refuse company.
• WASH YOUR HANDS thoroughly with warm water and soap after disposal. If you wore gloves to dispose of the dead bird, wash your gloved hands and then wash your bare hands thoroughly after you have removed the gloves.

There is currently no evidence that the West Nile Virus can be transmitted to humans that have taken precautions when handling dead birds.

Stanislaus County West Nile Virus Recorded Hotline – (209) 558-8425

For more information on West Nile virus, you can log onto www.hsahealth.org.