205 W 5th Ave Ellensburg, WA 98926-2887
Monday - Friday 8 AM - 5 PM
Kittitas (pronounced 'KITT-i-tass') County is located in central Washington State. It spans from the lush forested Cascade Mountains to the upper Yakima River Valley plains and the Columbia River.
Environmental Health Specialist II (509) 962-7009 or (509) 933-8225 environmentalhealth@co.kittitas.wa.us
The vector program monitors and controls vector borne diseases such as West Nile virus and rabies. The health department sets mosquito traps around the county each West Nile Virus season to determine if the virus is present in Kittitas County. The health department also responds to reports of communicable disease exposure related to vectors.
This is not an inclusive list. If you are a licensed pest control operator and would like to be on this list please contact: Melissa Schumaier 509-962-7009 melissa.schumaier@co.kittitas.wa.us
Vector borne diseases are pests that may spread pathogens that can cause serious, life-altering, and even fatal disease. Some diseases transmitted by pests include West Nile virus spread by mosquitoes, Lyme disease by ticks, and Hantavirus by deer mice.
West Nile virus can be a serious, even fatal, illness. It can affect people, horses, certain types of birds, and other animals. West Nile virus is almost always spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes become infected after feeding on birds that carry the virus. There is no evidence that West Nile virus can be spread by direct contact with infected people or animals. Most people who are infected with West Nile virus will not get sick.
Rabies is a viral disease that is most often transferred between warm blooded animals by bites or scratches from a rabid animal. Rabies virus infects the central nervous system causing encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). It is almost always fatal. Rabies may be carried by raccoons, skunks, bats and foxes. Bats are the primary carrier of Rabies in United States and Canada. Between 5-10% of bats submitted for testing are found to be infected. The odds of becoming infected with Rabies is extremely low. Since 1990 the number of reported cases in the United States has ranged from one to seven cases annually.
If you believe you have come in contact with an animal infected with rabies, please call 509-962-7515. Rabies - Washington State Department of Health Rabies - Center for Disease Control Rabies Fact Sheet - World Health Organization
The current number of West Nile virus cases in Kittitas County is available from the Washington State Department of Health Zoonotic Program.