The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) has announced that a 10-year-old Quarter Horse residing in the town of Four Lakes, in Spokane County, is the first horse in the state to be confirmed positive for West Nile virus (WNV) this year.

The horse, which was unvaccinated against the disease, reportedly had coordination problems in the hind legs and muscle tremors, but is improving.

Washington State University’s Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, in Pullman, reported the positive test results to WSDA’s State Veterinarian’s Office this week.

In 2016 the WSDA confirmed 27 equine WNV cases in Washington horses, seven of which died or were euthanized. Ten counties reported equine WNV cases involving horses last year, including Benton, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, and Yakima counties. Spokane County lead with eight cases