DECATUR - Officials say a crow, infected with the West Nile virus, has been found in DeKalb County. <br>
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The bird was picked up by the DeKalb County Police Department on May 15th. It was sent to the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine in Athens where it tested positive for the virus. <br>
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Paul Wiesner -- director of the DeKalb County Board of Health -- says the discovery comes as no surprise. <br>
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State Health Director Doctor Kathleen Toomey says the incident is -- quote -- ``a wake-up call for all Georgians to step up the prevention measures.'' <br>
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The virus infected six people in Georgia last year, including an elderly Atlanta woman who died in August. The disease showed up in birds and horses in 58 of the state's 159 counties. <br>
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As they did last year, state health officials asked Georgians to report dead birds to county health authorities. They will continue to test crows, blue jays and birds of prey -- the species that most commonly carry West Nile. <br>
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West Nile virus has sickened 149 humans and killed 18 since its discovery in the New York area in 1999, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There were 66 cases and nine deaths last year. <br>
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Mosquitoes can carry the virus from birds to humans. West Nile cannot be passed from person to person. <br>
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In severe cases, West Nile can lead to deadly encephalitis, or swelling of the brain. <br>
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State Health spokeswoman Barbara Joye says Georgia spent more than 176-thousand-dollars to fight West Nile last year. <br>
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That figure does not include edipediologists and others who don't work exclusively on the virus.
