Outdoors briefs for August 2, 2012

West Nile virus found in more Idaho counties

BOISE - Gem County in southwestern Idaho is the latest place in the state to report mosquitoes that tested positive for carrying the West Nile virus.

Tuesday's announcement from public health department officials follows a report that a Twin Falls woman contracted the potentially dangerous illness.

That woman, in her 40s, has recovered. She was the first human case reported this year.

Officials aren't sure where she contracted the virus.

Along with Gem County, West Nile-carrying mosquitoes have been documented in Ada, Canyon and Payette counties this year.

Idaho led the nation in West Nile cases in 2006, with 1,000 infections reported and 23 deaths. Last year, there were three reported cases in humans, and no deaths.

Search for man missing in Snake River scaled back

TWIN FALLS - Officials in Twin Falls County say they are scaling back their search for a 42-year-old Washington state man who is missing and presumed drowned in the Snake River near Twin Falls.

Justice Kramer of Graham, Wash., was hiking with his daughter and her friend at Pillar Falls Saturday evening when he slipped on a rock and fell into the water.

The Times-News reports emergency crews pulled the other two hikers off the rock and began searching for Kramer.

Sheriff's Lt. Daron Brown said Tuesday it's difficult to make the decision to scale back the search, but he said the department's people and resources are exhausted.

Dive teams have aided the search. Underwater conditions in the area of Pillar Falls are difficult including underwater caves and dangerous currents.

- The Associated Press