King County Public Health has announced that a dead crow found in Laurelhurst was infected with the West Nile Virus. It’s not the first time, but it is earlier than detected last year, and so there’s a longer risk of someone being bitten by a mosquito that fed from an infected bird. Use mosquito repellent if you see skeeters.

So far, West Nile virus is responsible for the deaths of six people across the whole country, out of 156 cases. Most of the time, people who become infected remain symptom-free, but a small proportion develop a fever, aches, and nausea. An even smaller number react severely and develop encephalitis. The CDC has a West Nile fact sheet if you want to know the particulars.

In the meantime, the health department–who hate to say “We told you so”–reminds you that their “program’s budget was severely cut back this year due county budget challenges and mosquito testing was eliminated. However, dead crows continue to be tested. The WNV-positive bird reported today is the 35th King County bird tested so far this year”–out of the over-1,000 dead birds reported.