Governor Rendell Proposes County Grants to Combat West Nile Virus, Protect Public...

Governor Rendell Proposes County Grants to Combat West Nile Virus, Protect
Public Health

$5.3 Million in Grants to Benefit Prevention, Control Efforts in Every County

HARRISBURG, Pa., March 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Every county in
Pennsylvania will benefit from an aggressive effort to monitor and control
mosquitoes this summer, said Governor Edward G. Rendell today as he announced
a $5.3 million investment that will help fight to stop the West Nile Virus.

"We've worked diligently over the past several years to protect the public's
health by ensuring that our counties have the resources they need to control
mosquito populations and monitor for signs of the West Nile Virus," said
Governor Rendell. "Our investments are paying dividends. With fewer human
cases, few counties reporting that the virus has been detected, and a better
understanding by the public of the threat, our citizens can enjoy the outdoors
with more peace of mind."

In 2003, there were 237 reported human cases of the West Nile Virus, with nine
fatalities. In 2006, nine Pennsylvanians were diagnosed with the virus, two of
whom died. Last year, though, nine state residents contracted the virus but
there were no deaths.

In humans, the virus can cause West Nile fever and encephalitis, an infection
that can cause inflammation of the brain and death. Most people bitten by an
infected mosquito will never develop any symptoms, and only one in 150 with
symptoms will develop the more serious West Nile encephalitis.

"The investment we're making this year will help the Department of
Environmental Protection and county West Nile Virus workers to remain
vigilant," said the Governor. "West Nile Virus is still active in parts of
Pennsylvania, and controlling it requires the aggressive mosquito surveillance
and control program that we will support again this year."

DEP and county staff supported by the grants announced today use
environmentally sensitive materials to control the mosquito population.

For killing larvae, which is the major method of mosquito control, the
naturally-occurring bacteria Bti and Bsph are used. These bacteria attack the
digestive system of the mosquito larvae, and have no effect on people, animals
or plants.

Another larval control product is the insect juvenile hormone, methoprene,
which prevents the mosquito larvae from developing into adults. The products
used to kill adult mosquitoes, likewise, are selected based on their
environmental sensitivity and are applied so they do not harm people, animals,
or plants.

DEP will administer the West Nile Virus surveillance and control program for
Forest County this year, with funding coming directly from the department's
West Nile Virus budget. DEP has also contracted for a private firm to conduct
the program in Lycoming County, at a cost of $54,600. Pike and Susquehanna
counties' programs will be run in a combined $61,600 grant.

DEP Secretary Kathleen A. McGinty said citizens can play a major role in
controlling the mosquito populations by helping to eliminate breeding grounds
for the insects.

"We need people to help us in this fight by remembering the slogan, 'Dump it,
drain it, treat it,'" said McGinty. "Dump it if it has water in it; drain it
if it can be drained; and treat it if it has standing water. After just a few
days, standing water can become a mosquito breeding ground."

McGinty also urged people to wear insect repellant containing DEET when
outside in warm weather.

Governor Rendell's proposed fiscal year 2008-09 budget also includes more than
$7 million for the West Nile Virus Control Program, which will allow DEP to
continue its mission of protecting against threats to human health and safety.
The proposed appropriation reflects the historical funding requests of the
counties, and will save the state $571,000 in operational costs for the
program, without impacting surveillance and control efforts.

For more information on West Nile Virus, visit
http://www.westnile.state.pa.us.

The Rendell administration is committed to creating a first-rate public
education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing
economic investment to support our communities and businesses.To find out more
about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly newsletter,
visit http://www.governor.state.pa.us.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Below is the list of proposed 2008 West Nile Virus Control
grants for each county:

County Proposed 2008 West Nile Virus Grant
Adams $70,059.40
Allegheny $225,710.32
Armstrong $45,783.00
Beaver $53,695.30
Bedford $53,814.60
Berks $67,243.88
Blair $36,892.45
Bradford $46,033.90
Bucks $191,981.50
Butler $53,515.00
Cambria $93,512.50
Cameron $20,862.50
Carbon $49,960.00
Centre $93,820.20
Chester $158,940.75
Clarion $55,150.00
Clearfield $71,105.00
Clinton $37,268.25
Columbia $57,598.50
Crawford $92,711.50
Cumberland $81,230.82
Dauphin $121,588.95
Delaware $211,000.00
Elk $37,970.00
Erie $105,659.00
Fayette $71,022.00
Forest Administered by DEP
Franklin $114,138.40
Fulton $30,644.00
Greene $40,531.00
Huntingdon $24,508.97
Indiana $103,024.13
Jefferson $62,387.00
Juniata $52,048.40
Lackawanna $117,931.00
Lancaster $123,029.00
Lawrence $66,386.00
Lebanon $75,774.00
Lehigh $130,374.99
Luzerne $157,103.00
Lycoming $54,588.97 (Contracted for a private firm)
McKean $54,619.20
Mercer $63,180.30
Mifflin $40,067.10
Monroe $81,065.00
Montgomery $215,432.00
Montour $51,860.92
Northampton $74,361.25
Northumberland $61,123.00
Perry $54,266.00
Philadelphia $318,527.05
Pike $61,600.00 (Shared with Susquehanna County)
Potter $49,386.20
Schuylkill $82,635.85
Snyder $49,399.00
Somerset $83,872.00
Sullivan $26,631.18
Susquehanna $61,600.00 (Shared with Pike County)
Tioga $51,930.00
Union $55,580.45
Venango $67,337.50
Warren $43,704.50
Washington $61,767.50
Wayne $51,392.50
Westmoreland $106,539.00
Wyoming $62,241.90
York $157,776.90

CONTACT:
Chuck Ardo
717-783-1116

Neil Weaver (DEP)
717-787-1323

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor

Chuck Ardo of the Pennsylvania Office of the Governor, +1-717-783-1116, or
Neil Weaver, DEP, +1-717-787-1323