Last modified: Friday, September 5, 2008 12:24 PM PDT Malheur County records new cases of West Nile virus By Larry Meyer Argus Observer ONTARIO—Three human cases of West Nile virus in Malheur County were confirmed in August, and six other local people were diagnosed with the disease but have not been tested for final verification. “We’ve had six others who have a positive screening,” Malheur County Health Department registered nurse Lori Heiple said Thursday. “Two people ended up in the hospital,” she said, adding they are recovering, but there may be some memory issues. One person said he thought he had been feeling ill since June, but most of the cases had been since early August.                                                                                                            The six cases were not forwarded to the state, so they will not be included in the state count, Heiple said, but would bring the county’s number of human cases to nine. Last year there were 12 confirmed cases in the county. One of the earliest signs of West Nile virus, is a bird die off, such as jays and magpies, but a spokesperson for the Malheur County Environmental Health Department said no one has brought any birds in to be tested this year.                                                                                                                        “We still need to be careful,” Heiple said as mosquitoes will continue to be out until the first few frosts. According to numbers posted by the Centers for  Disease Control, Oregon has four confirmed cases of West Nile virus, and Idaho has eight, but the Idaho Health Department’s Web Site posts 24 symptomatic cases, including one in Payette County.  one in Gem County, four in Canyon County and eight in Ada County. However, most of them are provisional cases and have not been confirmed.                                                                                                   Want more news? Then log on to www.argusobserver.com