LDH Surveillance Discovers Numerous Mosquitoes Infected with West Nile Virus

Baton Rouge, Louisiana (WAFB)-After a recent surveillance found a large number of West Nile virus-positive mosquitoes, the Public Health Department is calling on the general public to take protective measures against mosquito bites.

Information provided by the Louisiana Health Department:

The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) has been informed this year that more than 175 mosquito pools contain the West Nile virus. This is a much higher number than last year when 13 pools were positive.

The high number of positive cases in the pool sample means that there is a high risk of West Nile virus spreading to humans, but this year’s human cases of West Nile virus have not been reported so far. The health center is calling on the public to take protective measures to prevent mosquito bites.

The West Nile virus is spread by mosquitoes and can cause illness in humans and animals. Although 80% of human cases are asymptomatic, many can develop West Nile fever. Symptoms of West Nile fever, a flu-like illness, include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, and rash.

A small proportion of people infected with the West Nile virus can develop a severe infection called West Nile nerve invasive disease or West Nile encephalitis, which can lead to hospitalization and death. Symptoms include high fever, stiff shoulders, disorientation, weakness, numbness, coma, and paralysis. These symptoms can last for weeks and carry the risk of death or permanent brain damage.

Everyone is at risk of developing a serious illness, but people with existing medical conditions and those over the age of 60 are at greater risk. The number of cases of West Nile nerve infiltrative disease fluctuates annually due to many environmental factors and weather conditions, and previous cases in Louisiana ranged from 4 to 204 cases each year.

“It’s time to protect yourself from mosquito bites and start eliminating mosquito breeding grounds around your home,” said Dr. Joseph Canter of LDH’s Department of Health. “This summer, we received an early warning sign from a sample of mosquito control areas throughout the state that the West Nile virus could increase the number of human cases.”

There are many ways to prevent mosquito bites.

• When going out, you should wear an EPA-registered and approved mosquito repellent and always follow the instructions on the product label.
• Apply repellent to exposed skin and clothing. However, do not apply under clothing or on broken skin.
• If you are also using sunscreen, apply sunscreen first, then insect repellent.
• To prevent exposure to mosquitoes indoors, make sure the windows and doors fit snugly and that all screens are free of holes.

You also need to take steps to protect your home from mosquitoes.

• Reduce the number of mosquitoes by eliminating the water that collects around the house where mosquitoes breed.
• Dispose of tin cans, ceramic pots, and other unwanted containers that may collect water in your property. Turn over a wheelbarrow, a plastic water pool, a bucket, a trash can, a children’s toy, or anything that can collect water.
• Drill a hole in the bottom of an outdoor recycling container. Even if there is a hole in the side of the recycling container, there is still room to collect water for mosquitoes to breed. If it doesn’t already exist, you need to add a hole in the bottom.
• Regularly check and clean the gutters. When a gutter is clogged, millions of mosquitoes can grow each season.
• Water gardens and ornamental pools can become major mosquito producers if they are allowed to stagnate. Take measures to prevent stagnation, such as adding fish or aeration.
• Clean and chlorinate unused pools. Pools that haven’t been left by the family for a month can produce enough mosquitoes to dissatisfy the entire neighborhood. Keep in mind that mosquitoes can breed even in the water that collects in the pool cover.
• Contact your local mosquito control area to report the area of ​​the problematic mosquito.

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