West Nile virus: 10 more birds found dead in Bay Area

Ten more birds have tested positive for West Nile virus in the San Francisco Bay Area, Contra Costa vector control officials said this week.

This brings the total number of birds found with West Nile virus in Contra Costa County to 25, said a spokeswoman for the Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District.

One bird was collected from Walnut Creek, two from Pleasant Hill, four from Concord, one from Lafayette and two from Brentwood in Contra Costa County.

Dead bird reports are an important tool for West Nile virus detection, even if the bird is not picked up and tested, because it allows officials to locate West Nile hot spots, said Deborah Bass, public affairs manager for the Contra Costa district.

"Our surveillance of the area coupled with the public reporting of dead birds has enabled us to locate these areas of higher risk of West Nile virus where we can concentrate our mosquito control efforts," Bass said in a statement.