American Crow Tested Positive for West Nile Virus

A crow in Humboldt County tested positive for West Nile Virus, a first in the area since 2008, according to Times Standard.

According to the report, a total of 827 birds across the state have tested positive for West Nile virus and 59 people in California have been confirmed with the virus to date but there have been no reports of illness in humans specifically in Humboldt County.

"We have had no human cases of West Nile virus originate in Humboldt County," said Kevin Metcalfe, Consumer Protection Program supervisor with the Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Environmental Health.

"Cases occur in areas of California with warm average daily temperatures for several consecutive days. Out local climate does not support disease transmission," he further stated.

The CDC has previously reported that people who become infected with the virus do not develop any obvious symptom. Only one in every five people will develop fever with other symptoms like headache, joint pains, vomiting, rash, diarrhea or body aches.

Less than one percent of humans infected with the virus will develop a serious neurologic illness.

Local residents have been advised to follow safety measures especially when traveling to areas where the virus may be common, Times Standard reported.