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• September 05, 2003

  State Offers Help to Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

  Baton Rouge – In observation of Grandparents Day, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals is reminding grandparents that they can apply for no-cost health insurance for grandchildren in their care through the Louisiana Children’s Health Insurance Program (LaCHIP). On LaCHIP applications for households in which a grandparent is responsible for the care of a child, the grandparent’s income is not counted toward eligibility. This policy differs from other state programs such as Food Stamps, TANF cash assistance and free or reduced school lunch.

• September 03, 2003

  Health Department Announces Six New West Nile Cases

  Baton Rouge --- The state’s total of 2003 West Nile cases reached 46 Tuesday, with the addition of six new cases from Bossier (two cases), Caddo (two cases), Livingston (one case) and Morehouse (one case) parishes. Although state health officials have reported new cases each week since mid-July, Louisiana’s case count remains significantly lower than that of other states.

• September 03, 2003

  State Confirms First West-Nile Related Death

  Baton Rouge --- Public health officials have confirmed an earlier report from the Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office stating that a man from Caddo Parish is the first person to die of West Nile virus complications this year.

• August 27, 2003

  West Nile Virus Detected in 40 Humans Statewide

  Baton Rouge --- The Department of Health and Hospitals today announces six more Louisiana residents have tested positive for West Nile virus, bringing the 2003 case total to 40 cases. Three of the new cases come from Caddo Parish, where this year’s West Nile outbreak has been centered. Caddo has 25 of Louisiana’s total cases. Other new cases were reported in Bossier, Ouachita and Tangipahoa parishes.

• August 20, 2003

  CommunityCARE Meets New Orleans Friday

  Baton Rouge --- CommunityCARE is rolling into New Orleans, and the city is rolling out the red carpet for the program this Friday, with a kickoff at the Delgado Community College Student Life Learning Center. Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary David W. Hood and State Health Officer Dr. Jimmy Guidry will make a presentation twice while at the kickoff, once in the morning and again that afternoon.

• August 19, 2003

  Thirty-Four West Nile Virus Cases In Louisiana

  Baton Rouge --- State health officials today report 13 new human cases of West Nile virus in Louisiana, raising the total from 21 to 34. Nine new cases were from Caddo Parish, where the state’s outbreak is centered. Caddo has 22 out of Louisiana’s 34 cases. Bossier, Livingston, St. Tammany and Union parishes each reported one case in this week’s testing results.

• August 13, 2003

  Immunization Program Vaccinates More Than 11,000

  Baton Rouge — By the scheduled end of the program on Saturday, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health had vaccinated more than 11,846 people statewide through its three-day immunization initiative. Public health officials note that this approximate count may be even higher when final numbers from all of the clinics are reassessed later this week.

• August 13, 2003

  Six Additional West Nile Cases Detected in Caddo Parish

  Baton Rouge --- The statewide total of humans infected with the West Nile virus has risen to 21, with six new cases from Caddo Parish reported today. So far, Caddo has been the parish hardest hit by West Nile virus, harboring 13 of Louisiana’s cases. All six victims contracted West Nile meningo-encephalitis, the more severe form of the virus. No West Nile-related deaths have been reported for 2003.

• August 06, 2003

  Health Department Announces No-Cost Immunizations

  Baton Rouge—Due to the overwhelming success of the recent three-day immunization program, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health announced today that it would continue to have no-cost immunizations during the entire month of August at all parish health units throughout the state. All parents are encouraged to call their private physicians or parish health units if they are unsure about whether or not their children need shots.

• August 04, 2003

  West Nile Case Count Climbs to 15

  Baton Rouge --- The Department of Health and Hospitals today reports five additional cases of West Nile virus meningo encephalitis in Louisiana, raising the state’s count of human cases to 15. The patients reported this week come from Iberia, Lincoln, Ouachita, St. Tammany and Terrebone parishes. Terrebone Parish had a previously reported case of West Nile virus, but the other four parishes are reporting the first human cases this year.

• July 31, 2003

  State Encourages Parents to Seek Health Coverage for Their Kids

  Baton Rouge – Noting that the Louisiana Children’s Health Insurance Program (LaCHIP) is “a key to improving the health of the state” Governor Mike Foster has declared August 2003 as LaCHIP Month in Louisiana. The Department of Health and Hospitals is teaming up with retail outlets, community organizations and government entities to give families preparing for Back-to-School an opportunity to apply for no-cost health insurance from LaCHIP.

• July 28, 2003

  Health Department Reports 10 Confirmed West Nile Cases

  Baton Rouge --- The Department of Health and Hospitals today reports an additional seven cases of West Nile virus meningo-encephalitis, bringing the year’s count to 10 cases so far. One case is from Jefferson Parish, and the other six new cases all came from Caddo Parish. These cases are in addition to the three cases in Caddo, Lafourche and Terrebone parishes that DHH confirmed earlier this month. Five of the total victims are female and the other five are male.