A woman in east Pierce County contracted malaria despite not having traveled out of state recently, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.

The woman was diagnosed with malaria Saturday and is receiving treatment, a news release states.

If the investigation finds the woman contracted the disease from a mosquito in Washington, it would be the state’s first locally acquired case. It would also be the first known instance of malaria being contracted west of the Rockies.

The county health department is working with the state Department of Health and the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the source of the infection.

“The risk of getting infected with malaria in Pierce County remains very low,” Tacoma-Pierce County Health Officer Dr. James Mi

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