More West Nile & Still Dry

More West Nile & Still Dry

More West Nile & Still Dry. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report.

Last week we reported on the first human case of West Nile virus in Idaho. Now a second case has been confirmed and it's from Payette County. The reported case is a neuroinvasive case in a woman in her 40's who was hospitalized but is recovering. West Nile has also been found in more horses in Washington State. Five new cases in horses were announced on Friday bringing the total to six surpassing last years total for the whole year. Two of the horses have died while the other three appear to be recovering.The reports come from Yakima, Benton, Franklin, and Adams counties. It is not too late to have your horse vaccinated for the disease. To reduce the risk, horse owners should also try to keep horses indoors at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are prevalent, and remove sources of standing water. Horses that do become ill can show loss of coordination, loss of appetite, confusion, fever, stiffness, and weakness, particularly in their hindquarters.

There has been some whisperings about the end of the drought here in the west.

RIPPEY: Unfortunately the drought is still alive and well in the far west.

That's USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey

RIPPEY: First of all pasture and rangeland conditions, the state with the three highest numbers for very poor to poor pasture and rangeland conditions we have California, 55% very poor to poor. Right behind California is Oregon at 47% and next is Washington at 41%.

That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network of the West.

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