Mercer County is on target to receive more money this year than it got last year to monitor the West Nile virus.

Friday, Department of Environmental Protection Acting Secretary Kathleen A. McGinty announced the award of more than $6.5 million in grants to counties for mosquito surveillance and control as part of Pennsylvania's battle against the West Nile virus in 2003.

Mercer County, which got $35,000 last year, is budgeted to receive $81,000 this year.

The funding for counties can only be guaranteed through the current state budget, which runs through June 30. Funding proposed for counties for July 1 through Dec. 31 will be finalized when the 2003-04 state budget is passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor.

Last year, as the West Nile virus spread across the country, the virus was identified in all but four Pennsylvania counties. Fifty-nine people contracted the virus, and eight died because of it.

West Nile virus is transmitted by mosquitoes from infected birds to people and other birds. Most people bitten by an infected mosquito will never get sick, and most who do get sick will experience only flu-like symptoms. However, a very small percentage of people bitten by an infected mosquito will develop West Nile encephalitis, an infection that can cause an inflammation of the brain. Cases of West Nile have occurred in Pennsylvania primarily from mid-summer through early fall.

County West Nile teams will start surveillance for larvae in early April when the larvae begin to hatch.