Infectious Disease

The state’s worst year for West Nile virus in a decade continues into the fall season, with state health officials reporting 12 new cases and two deaths this week.

State health officials today confirmed nine new West Nile virus cases, urging Louisiana residents to continue to protect their health and Fight the Bite. No West Nile deaths occurred this week. The State is experiencing its most active year for West Nile since 2002, which was the major outbreak year of the virus in Louisiana. So far, there have been 321 cases and 12 deaths from the disease reported this year.

Even though the fall season is under way, state health officials remind Louisiana residents that West Nile virus remains a threat, and urges everyone to protect their health by avoiding mosquito bites. The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals today confirmed 25 new West Nile virus cases. No West Nile deaths occurred this week. Louisiana is experiencing the most West Nile cases since its 2002 outbreak year, with 305 cases and 11 deaths from the disease reported thus far in 2012.

State health officials today confirmed 36 new West Nile virus cases and one newly reported death from the disease. Louisiana is experiencing its highest number of reported West Nile infections in recent years, with 251 cases and 11 deaths from the disease thus far in 2012.

The Department of Health and Hospitals today confirmed 39 new human cases of West Nile virus, marking 215 reported infections of West Nile in Louisiana this year. The State is experiencing its highest number of West Nile cases in several years. There have also been 10 West Nile deaths reported thus far in 2012.

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals today confirms 31 new human cases of West Nile virus, reaching 176 reported infections from West Nile in the State so far in 2012. DHH also confirms a new death from this disease, which is the 10th West Nile death in Louisiana this year. The State is experiencing the highest number of West Nile cases and deaths it has seen in the past several years.

BATON ROUGE, La.-- Louisiana is experiencing its highest case rate of West Nile virus in several years, with 145 cases and nine deaths from the disease reported so far in 2012.

The Department of Health and Hospitals today confirms 53 new human cases of West Nile virus. These new cases mark 145 reported infections of West Nile in Louisiana so far in 2012, the highest number of cases the state has seen in the past several years. The state also confirmed three deaths from West Nile this week. So far in 2012, nine people have died from this disease.

Louisiana continues to see a rise in human West Nile virus infections, with the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals reporting 24 new cases this week. No additional deaths from West Nile have occurred, though six people this year have died after contracting the virus. DHH has detected 92 West Nile virus cases thus far for 2012, and more than half of these - 47 - are West Nile neuro-invasive disease, the more serious form of the virus that infects the brain and spinal cord and can cause brain damage or death. DHH issues a weekly Arbovirus Surveillance Report that details cases detected thus far by parish, which is published here.

Louisiana continues to see an increase in West Nile virus infections, with the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals reporting 15 new cases and four deaths from the disease. So far this year, six people have died from the virus, and DHH has detected 68 cases. More than half – 37 -- of this year’s cases are West Nile neuro-invasive disease, the more serious form of the virus that infects the brain and spinal cord and can cause brain damage or death. This is the highest total of West Nile neuro-invasive infections that have occurred in the state since 2006.