OLYMPIA -- Two dead birds — one from King County and one from Thurston County — have tested positive for West Nile virus. These are the first animals to test positive on the west side of the Cascades this year.
The virus has already been active in eastern and central Washington. A human case of West Nile infection was confirmed in August. Two other people are considered “probable” cases. Health officials believe all three were exposed while traveling in eastern Washington or eastern Oregon.
The virus has also been detected in more than two dozen horses, nine birds, and more than 40 mosquito pools. Nearly all of those positive samples have been in eastern Washington.
“These latest positive birds confirm that West Nile virus has spread to both sides of our state,” said Jude Van Buren, assistant secretary for the agency’s division of Epidemiology, Health Statistics, and Public Health Laboratories. “While the fall weather is getting cooler, mosquitoes are still out there and people should take precautions to avoid getting bitten.”
Although mosquito season is coming to a close, mosquitoes are still active until the first freeze of the year. People should avoid mosquito bites by staying indoors around dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active, ensure door and window screens are working, and use a mosquito repellent when necessary. Always follow label directions when using repellents.
It’s also important to reduce mosquito habitat around the home. Emptying water from old tires; turning over old buckets or cans; and frequently changing water in pet dishes, birdbaths, and water troughs helps eliminate the small puddles of water in which many mosquito larvae grow.
West Nile virus can cause meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the spinal cord and brain) or encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). People over age 50 have the highest risk for serious illness. There’s no specific treatment for West Nile virus infection.
West Nile virus is mainly a bird disease. Mosquitoes become infected by feeding on an infected bird and can pass the virus to humans, horses, or other hosts. This season nearly 100 dead birds have been tested statewide. People are encouraged to report dead birds, especially crows, jays, magpies, and ravens, to local health agencies for possible collection and testing.
The two recent birds that tested positive were collected earlier this month. They were submitted for testing by the local health agencies in Thurston and King Counties as part of the state’s West Nile virus monitoring program. Along with these two birds, one dead crow tested positive for the virus in Benton County.
More information on West Nile virus (www.doh.wa.gov/WNV) is on the Department of Health Web site. Contact your local health department (www.doh.wa.gov/LHJMap/LHJMap.htm) with questions about West Nile virus monitoring in your community.
To report a dead bird in Grays Harbor County call the Public Health and Social Services message line at (360) 532-8631 and use extension 410. You may report a complaint about mosquitoes by calling Environmental Health at (360) 249-4413.
