A mosquito sample from wetlands near the Port of Tacoma tested positive for West Nile virus, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department announced Tuesday.
The sample was taken at Gog-le-hi-te Wetlands on August 14, but the results weren’t shared with the health department until late last week.
The health department will set up and monitor five sampling sites around Pierce County to see if any other animals have contracted the virus.
Mosquitoes, birds, and other mammals have tested positive for the West Nile virus in six Washington counties this year, but Pierce is the first county west of the Cascades where the virus has been detected. Animals infected with West Nile virus haven’t been found in Western Washington since 2009, according to the state Department of Health.
There have not been any human cases of West Nile virus in Washington state this year. Nationally, 231 people have been infected, and eight people have died.
About 20 percent of people infected will get sick, and less than 1 percent of people infected will develop severe illness, according to the health department.
Symptoms of West Nile virus include headache, fever, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash. They can develop up to two weeks after an infected mosquito bites you.
Prevent bite exposure by wearing insect repellant and long-sleeved shirts and pants outside. The health department recommends draining any standing water on your property to prevent mosquito breeding.
