$$ Allocated for West Nile Virus Surveillance

<x-rich>LCL Comments: This allocation is thanks, in some large part, to the
persuasive efforts of NYS reps on Capitol Hill. It is an important
allocation because these monies are available now--in time for the
current mosquito season. However--as you can calculate with some
simple arithmetic ($1.4million/19) --the allocation translates into
about $75,000 per state (or large city), assuming it is equally
divided. This is in addition to approximately $200,000 previously
allocated to these states/cities for the current fiscal year.

Most of the money allocated is for surveillance activities
(<italic>e.g., </italic>setting up laboratories and field capabilities
to test birds and mosquitoes for WNV infection, and paying for people
to do the work). While it is quite important to build infrastructure
for prevention and surveillance of WNV and other potential emergent
infectious diseases--I encourage everyone to take note (and perhaps
take action) that public education and outreach are not mentioned as
being in line for priority funding.

It seems to me that educating the public and policy-makers about
environmental risks and risk reduction is crucial, not only for
containing West Nile Virus, but also for developing an appropriate
balance between level of concern and level of risk/social impact
(<italic>i.e., </italic>abetting actions to reduce a problem or risk
while not blowing it out of proportion).

Some people are wondering, in fact, why such seemingly disproportionate
attention is being paid to West Nile Virus, rather than to other more
virulent diseases. Part of the answer is that WNV, unlike some others,
could become established in US urban areas, with significant
consequences to people and wildlife from periodic outbreaks. Thus
efforts to contain it now, before it is widespread and established, may
reap large benefits.

<bold>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

<bigger><bigger>Shalala releases funds to fight West Nile Virus

</bigger></bigger></bold>WASHINGTON, May 25 (Reuters Health) - Health
and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Donna Shalala announced Thursday the
immediate release of $5 million from the Public Health Service
Emergency Fund to expand surveillance activities for the West Nile
virus in states and localities. The release doubles this year's funding
to fight the disease that sickened 62 people in the New York
Metropolitan area and killed 7 last year in the first documented cases
in the United States.

"While we have begun to rebuild epidemiologic and laboratory capacities
for vector-borne diseases, it is clear that additional resources are
needed," said Shalala, who announced the funding at a Capitol Hill news
conference attended by members of the New York Congressional
delegation.

The New York members hailed the new funds. "We need to invest all the
resources necessary at every level of government to fight against this
deadly virus," said Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y. "New Yorkers shouldn't have
to be afraid to go about their daily lives."

Agreed Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., "This funding will aid us in
preventing another West Nile outbreak this summer and in the future."

While the money announced by Shalala is for the current fiscal year,
Congress is already looking at needs for the fiscal year that begins
October 1. The fiscal 2001 spending bill for HHS approved by the House
Appropriations Committee Wednesday includes $10 million for West Nile
surveillance and research; the bill approved by the Senate
Appropriations Committee earlier this month would appropriate $8.9
million.

Of the new funds released by Shalala Thursday, $1.4 million will be
divided between the 17 states and two cities (New York and Washington
D.C.) that were part of last year's outbreak or are considered at
higher risk because of the migratory pattern of birds that are thought
to spread the virus. A total of $3.1 million will be made available to
other parts of the country to use to diagnose potential cases of West
Nile, while the remainder of the funds will go to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, headquartered in Atlanta.

Copyright © 2000 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lois Levitan, PhD Program Leader

Environmental Risk Analysis Program

Center for the Environment

213 Rice Hall, Cornell University

Ithaca, New York USA 14853

Phone: (607) 255-4765 Fax: (607) 255-0238

Email: LCL3@cornell.edu

Program Email: envrisk@cornell.edu

http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/risk

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

</x-rich>
Received on Tue May 30 12:44:58 2000