Shreveport and Bossier Have Confirmed West Nile Virus Cases
According to KTBS we are seeing more cases of the West Nile Virus. First, we lived in fear of bats in 2020, could it be that our new fear is a mosquito carry West Nile?
The Louisiana Department of Health is claiming that we have more cases of the West Nile virus in Caddo and Bossier Parishes.
There are three types of the virus:
1. Asymptomatic, which can only be detected through medical tests.
2. Fever, where people have flu-like symptoms.
3. Neuroinvasive which is the worst type of the virus. It can lead to paralysis, brain damage, and death. Caddo Parish has two confirmed neuroinvasive cases, while Bossier Parish has one.
A large majority (90%) of West Nile virus cases are asymptomatic, 10% of West Nile cases develop the flu-like symptoms and a very small percentage of people show symptoms of the neuroinvasive virus type. Those who are age 65 and older are at the biggest rate of infection.
Here are some tips that The Louisiana Department of Health provided tips on how to protect yourself:
- Wear mosquito repellent or long sleeves outside
- Make sure your repellent contains DEET, but no more than 30%
- Apply repellent to your face by first spraying your hands, and then rubbing them on your face, avoiding your eyes
- Avoid perfumes or colognes outside for long periods of time
- Make sure your house has tight-fitting windows and doors, and that screens are free of holes
- Reduce mosquitoes around your home by eliminating standing water, which is where mosquitoes breed
- Get rid of any buckets, pots, wheelbarrows, or anything that could collect standing water around your home
- Check and clean roof gutters routinely
- Clean and chlorinate swimming pools that aren't being used