Updated 2/7/06

   700 East Oak Street  Canton  Illinois  61520
   Phone: 309-647-1134   Fax: 309-647-9545

 The Illinois Department of Public Health has established a West Nile Virus (WNV) hotline in the Division of Environmental Health.  Graduate students have been trained to respond to the public when calls are received regarding WNV.  The students will also enter surveillance data into a database and respond to email inquireies.  The hotline number is 866-369-9710. The hours of operation will be from 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. but those hours may change if human cases are reported and the volume of calls increase. Voice mail will be activated in the evenings and on weekends and calls will be returned as soon as possible.

 The Fulton County West Nile Virus ASAP Committee goal is to reduce the incidence of exposure of citizens to the West Nile Virus. The purpose of this committee is to ensure consistency and follow-up of a coordinated response to West Nile Virus outbreaks. Community volunteers have been trained to provide public education and information on West Nile Virus. Local citizens may contact their local volunteer to ask questions and express concerns of potential mosquito breeding grounds. The volunteers do not make property inspections or enforce vector ordinances. The volunteers primary responsibility is to educate citizens on how they can reduce sources of mosquitoes and how to protect themselves from getting the West Nile Virus.

The West Nile Virus ASAP committee extends their appreciation to the following:

• Martin Publishing of the Fulton Democrat and their sponsers (Graham Hospital and Mid America Bank ) for donating 14,000 copies of the West Nile Virus Guide for Fulton County citizens. 
• Fulton County Retired Teacher's Association and the U of I Extension master gardeners for serving on the "Speakers Bureau" A Power Point presentation on West Nile Virus is also available. If you do not have Microsoft Power Point, see the left side of this screen to download a copy of the Viewer.
• Community contact volunteers for distribution of the West Nile Virus guides, posters, and brochures. The volunteers will utilize the West Nile Virus Volunteer Manual to respond to citizens' inquiries. A list of volunteers and agency staff contacts is available for your reference.
• The U of I Extension Office of Fulton County for assistance in volunteer training and education
• A Guide for Community Organization of a Tire Collection Event was created out of a need for source reduction for potential mosquito breeding grounds.

The committee members assist the Fulton County Health Department and the University of Illinois Extension Office of Fulton County to provide:

A ssistance in the training of community leaders in preparation for the West Nile Virus  season                S urveillance activities to include collection and testing of mosquito specimens                                   A batement measures to reduce the number of infected mosquitoes                                                  Prevention strategies for the public and the community