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West Nile infections on rise; two cases locally
Louisiana's State Epidemiologist Dr. Raoult Ratard urged Concordia Parish residents, like their neighbors statewide, to protect themselves from mosquito bites during what has become the busiest season for the West Nile Virus since the outbreak year of 2002 when 204 neuroinvasive disease (NID) cases were reported and 24 deaths.
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) reported the state's first West Nile Virus deaths in four years on Friday, announcing that two people have died of NID, the most serious form of the virus this year.
In Concordia, one case of NID has been reported and one asymptomatic case in which the individual was never ill but the West Nile virus showed up in blood work.
No cases have been reported through last week in neighboring parishes.
Ratard said Monday that the rise in the number of West Nile cases being reported this year is likely due to the mild winter and warm spring in which the bird population was active.
"There was a lot of nesting in the trees and the young birds are not immune to West Nile," Ratard said. He said mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds and spread the virus when they bite humans and other animals.
DHH Public Information Officer Ken Pastoric said "just because there is not a West Nile case in neighboring parishes doesn't mean that it isn't in those parishes. And, too, just because a person in Concordia was diagnosed with the virus doesn't been that it was contracted there."
According to the Center for Disease Control, people over the age of 50 are more likely to develop serious symptoms of WNV if they do get sick and should take special care to avoid mosquito bites.
The deaths announced last week are the state's first since 2008, when one person died of the disease.
"West Nile Virus is a serious disease that should not be taken lightly," said Ratard. "We know from the past 10 years of surveillance that this disease has reached every corner of the state, meaning people are at risk for West Nile regardless of whether there are cases and deaths in your parish. People should own their own health and take responsibility to make all the necessary precautions that protect you and your loved ones from mosquito bites."For the full story, subscribe to the The Concordia Sentinel's NEW E-Edition! |
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