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Baton Rouge --- Two humans who exhibited possible symptoms of either West Nile virus or St. Louis Encephalitis both tested negative for the disease. The two individuals, one from Shreveport and one from Bossier Parish, submitted blood samples last month, which the Office of Public Health sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for extensive testing that revealed neither individual had either mosquito-borne illness.
Baton Rouge – The Louisiana Departments of Health and Hospitals, Environmental Quality and Wildlife and Fisheries today issued a series of fish consumption advisories for 10 bodies of water. In addition, the agencies have revised four other existing advisories that either expand the current geographical boundaries of the waterways or add cautions about consuming other fish.
Baton Rouge – David W. Hood, secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals, today announced that Sharon G. Howard has been promoted to the position of assistant secretary for the Office of Public Health.
Baton Rouge – State health officials have concluded laboratory testing to analyze the contents of two letters discovered Wednesday and Thursday in Lake Charles. In both instances, the green leafy material found in letters mailed to the Mayor’s Office and the Chamber of Commerce has tested negative for any bio-hazardous substance. Final confirmatory testing was completed over the weekend by the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta.
Baton Rouge --- The total count of dead birds infected with the West Nile virus in the state of Louisiana stands at 41, with the addition of eight dead birds the Department of Health and Hospitals reported this week. Four of the eight latest birds are from Franklin, Grant, Iberia and Winn parishes, where no West Nile virus specimens had been previously reported. The remaining four birds came from East Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Livingston and Rapides parishes, all of which had previously reported infected specimens.
Baton Rouge – The Department of Health and Hospitals is investigating two possible cases, one from Shreveport and one from Bossier City, of mosquito-borne illnesses in north Louisiana. In both cases, multiple laboratory tests have been conducted on blood samples and the test results have proven inconclusive for either West Nile virus or St. Louis Encephalitis.
Baton Rouge --- Representatives from the Department of Health and Hospitals are traveling to North Louisiana Friday, May 2, to introduce the CommunityCARE program to local medical professionals and community leaders. DHH representatives will host two public forums, one in Monroe at 8:30 a.m. and another in Shreveport at 12:30 p.m. DHH Secretary David W. Hood and Medical Director Dr. Jimmy Guidry will attend both forums.
Baton Rouge --- Two dead blue jays from Assumption and Jackson parishes and a dead cardinal from Union Parish have pushed Louisiana’s count of West Nile positive dead birds past 30. The total number of dead birds infected with the virus is now 33, with 541 birds tested this year and 3,091 reported. The three parishes these new dead birds came from previously had no birds that tested positive for the virus. West Nile specimens now have appeared in 24 parishes statewide.
Baton Rouge --- Phase One of Louisiana’s program to vaccinate health care workers against smallpox has ended, and many have labeled the program a success.
Baton Rouge – The federal government recently published new guidelines that will allow people to earn more money yet still qualify for some Medicaid programs.
Warm weather causes children to swarm onto the playgrounds at parks, schools and other public facilities. The Department of Health and Hospitals’ Office of Public Health, along with other agencies, wants to make sure bumps, bruises and broken bones do not spoil a good time.
The Department of Health and Hospitals Office of Public Health reports 21 birds in 17 parishes statewide have tested positive for West Nile virus. Caddo, Calcasieu, De Soto, East Baton Rouge, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lincoln, Livingston, Orleans, Ouachita, Rapides, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Vernon, Washington and West Baton Rouge parishes all have had positive birds. No human cases have been reported this year.