West Nile virus has sickened 36 people in Washington so far this year, including nine people in Benton County.
The state Department of Health said this year has been the worst on record for the virus.
A Yakima County woman in her 70s is the state's first death from the virus, state officials said. In all, Yakima County had 21 confirmed cases.
Grant County had one, Klickitat County had two, Spokane County had two and Whatcom County had one.
All but two of them were exposed in Eastern Washington -- and they may have been exposed out of state.
Of the 36 people, 28 had severe symptoms, including encephalitis, meningitis or paralysis.
Eight had mild illnesses with a fever and headaches. A person in Benton County and another in Yakima County didn't know they had the virus until they went to donate blood and it was found in a prescreening test.
Those cases don't count in national reports because the victims didn't have symptoms, the state said.
Also this year, 71 horses, one dog, 22 birds and 341 mosquito samples tested positive.
That testing showed the virus was detected in 14 counties, with Franklin, Walla Walla, Mason and Grays Harbor counties having their first cases since monitoring began in 2001.
Washington had the nation's highest number of horses infected, the state said.
Nearly half of all the infected horses either died from the illness or had to be euthanized.
The state Department of Health also began using an online dead bird reporting system to help track dead bird sightings. More than 400 dead birds were reported this year.
West Nile virus is a bird disease that's spread by infected mosquitoes. The best way to reduce the chance of infection is to avoid mosquito bites, say health officials.
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Franklin County finds first West Nile mosquito
Franklin County finds first West Nile mosquito
Health officials Friday reported finding Franklin County's first West Nile virus-positive mosquitoes of the season in Pasco's Chiawana Park.
The mosquito sample was collected by the Franklin County Mosquito Control District.
Mosquitoes carrying the virus also have been found in Yakima County and Grant County this year, but no people have been reported to be infected with the disease, and reports of infected birds have been low, officials said.
West Nile virus found in Mabton mosquitoes
West Nile virus found in Mabton mosquitoes
The Washington State Health Department has its first confirmation this year that West Nile is present in the state and it's in the Mid-Columbia.
The first sample of mosquitoes to test positive for West Nile virus this year in the state was collected Tuesday near Mabton. Monitoring and testing dead birds and mosquitoes has been done since June.
In 2009, 38 people in Washington became sick from West Nile virus infections. Last year, the state had two human cases in the state.
Positive sample of West Nile found in Grant County
Positive sample of West Nile found in Grant County
West Nile virus has been detected in Grant County -- the first positive sample in the county this year and the second in the state, health officials said.
The mosquito sample was collected by the Grant County Mosquito Control District No. 1 on Aug. 29 in an area described as the "western sand dunes" southwest of Moses Lake, officials said.
No humans or animals have tested positive for West Nile virus this year, the state Department of Health said.
Vietnam reports 2nd bird flu death in a month
Vietnam reports 2nd bird flu death in a month
A Vietnamese official on Thursday confirmed the country's second human death from bird flu in less than a month, after it went nearly two years with no reported fatalities.
Southwestern fungus confirmed in 3 people in Mid-Columbia
Southwestern fungus confirmed in 3 people in Mid-Columbia
Three illnesses related to a southwestern fungus have local health officials concerned that the fungus could be among us.
Dr. Larry Jecha, health officer for the Benton Franklin Health District, has declared coccidioidomycosis a reportable disease in the two counties to track whether the fungus causing the disease is in the Tri-Cities.
Coccidioidomycosis, also known as Valley Fever, is a fungal disease caused by Cocciodioides fungi. The fungi live in semi-arid areas and normally are found in the southwestern United States and Mexico, but so far haven't been known to be in Washington.
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