The Advocate. September 7, 2022.
Editorial: Take action, each of us, to fight mosquito-borne disease
Louisiana’s unofficial state bird is not only an annoyance but can carry deadly West Nile virus. With a lot of rain lately, the people of Louisiana need to do what they can to stop its spread.
The virus has been detected in Baton Rouge as well as in Acadiana over the course of the summer. For a while, it was hot and dry in many places, but local rainfall pooling into breeding grounds for mosquitoes is as real a threat as a hurricane.
“This is shaping up to be a very challenging West Nile season and we are entering the peak time for transmission in our state,” reported Dr. Tina Stefanksi, regional medical director for a seven-parish area in Acadiana.
Fourteen people — including the first in Acadiana since 2018 — have developed dangerous infections of the brain and spinal cord, and two of them have died, the Louisiana Department of Health announced. That compares to five neuro-invasive cases and no deaths by about this time last year, according to the department’s website.
Avoiding this summer and fall plague requires a dose of common sense, like using mosquito repellent when outdoors. But homeowners and businesses can combat West Nile, even in the rainiest seasons, by trying to avoid the pools that are breeding grounds. Old tires, for example, are a common place for water to sit while mosquitoes target nearby humans.
This is a pure case of public health, by which we mean the people need to take even modest actions in their yards to protect themselves and others from disease.
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