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Posted: Saturday, 15 September 2012 6:19AM

Jefferson and Orleans monitor mosquitos as West Nile cases rise



New numbers, released by the Department of Health and Hospitals Friday, confirm 39 new human cases of West Nile Virus in Louisiana.

That brings the total number of infections in the state to 215 in this year alone.

Officials are keeping a watchful eye on areas where flood water from Hurricane Isaac remains standing. Both Jefferson and Orleans parishes continue to spray for mosquitoes.
"A lot of the wood lot areas, the wooded areas, salt marsh areas. Those areas have been flooded and have the potential to pop off some of the woodland and salt marsh mosquitoes," said Steven Pavlovich, entomologist with Jefferson Parish Mosquito Control Services. Pavlovich says, after this recent storm, the number of West Nile mosquitoes has dropped. However, he warns the population could go up.

"We haven't really been seeing a lot of that as of yet. It has been a slight increase in the bug numbers because of the receding in some of the areas. We do have potential in the future," said Pavlovich.

In Orleans Parish, the entire City of New Orleans has been treated once for mosquitoes since Hurricane Isaac. Now city officials say crews are on a second round of treatment using trucks and planes.

City of New Orleans entomologist Sarah Michaels says with more people working in their yards to clear storm debris or sleeping with windows open during the power outages more people may have been expose to mosquito bites. Michaels says there could be an increase in West Nile cases in coming weeks similar to what happened after Hurricane Katrina.
Parish Officials remind the public to dump out any stagnant water sitting in your yard or on your property.

Filed Under :  
Topics : Environment
Social :
Locations : LouisianaNew OrleansOrleans ParishWest Nile
People : Sarah MichaelsSteven Pavlovich
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