El Dorado County health officials received confirmation June 22 that a bird found in the El Dorado Hills  tested positive for West Nile virus.

The songbird, was collected on June 13.

So far this year, West Nile virus activity has been detected in 22 dead birds in California; El Dorado (2), San Mateo (2), Alameda (4), Humboldt (1), Los Angeles (1), Sacramento (6), Stanislaus (1) and Santa Clara (5).

Confirmation of the West Nile virus positive bird means the virus is circulating between birds and mosquitoes and there is heightened risk of infection in humans. West Nile virus can be transmitted to people through the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes get the virus when they feed on infected birds. The illness is not spread from person-to-person.