How you can help South Carolina track West Nile virus this spring and summer

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD) – South Carolina’s top health agency said Wednesday that residents can help track the West Nile Virus by submitting dead birds for testing.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s (DHEC) dead bird surveillance program helps the agency identify possible upticks in West Nile virus activity in the state.

A “high rate” of birds infected with the disease – submitted through the lab – indicates an overall increase in the virus within a certain area.

“The public’s involvement with our dead bird surveillance program bolsters the agency’s surveillance efforts and can help identify West Nile virus before it begins affecting people,” said Dr. Chris Evans, State Public Health Entomologist. “This is a unique opportunity for the public to proactively assist their public health agency in staying ahead of a potential health risk.”

Officials said mosquitoes become infected with the virus when they feed on infected birds that carry the virus in their blood. After one to two weeks, infected mosquitoes can transmit WNV to people and other animals.

“Most people infected with WNV have no symptoms, and although the risk of serious illness is low, it is possible for potentially fatal inflammation of the brain to occur in infected people, a condition known as encephalitis,” said Dr. Linda Bell, DHEC State Epidemiologist. “The primary way to get West Nile virus is from the bite of an infected mosquito, which is why mosquito bite prevention and control are so important in reducing human exposures.”

DHEC officials said that in 2022, 78 birds were tested from 21 counties, 9 of which tested positive for West Nile virus and 2 of which tested positive for eastern equine encephalitis virus.

The health agency is specifically asking for people to submit recently dead crows, blue jays, house finches, and house sparrows that appear to not have been injured nor decayed.

“These species of birds are more susceptible to WNV than other species, making them good candidates for testing. Birds other than crows, blue jays, house finches, and house sparrows will be tested on a case-by-case basis,” DHEC officials said.

Deceased birds can be reported or submitted to DHEC at local Health or Environmental Affairs offices now through Nov. 30. To safely collect a dead bird, residents should:

• Not touch a bird, dead or alive, with bare hands. Use gloves or pick up the bird with doubled, plastic bags.
• Keep the bagged bird cool until it can be placed on ice or in a refrigerator. If you can’t deliver the bird carcass to DHEC within 36 hours of collection, freeze it until you are able to deliver it or have it shipped.
• Download and complete a Dead Bird Submission and Reporting Sheet for West Nile Virus and take the sheet and dead bird to a local DHEC Health or Environmental Affairs office during normal business hours (8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday). See DHEC’s interactive map of available offices for drop-off; WIC-only public health departments can’t accept birds.