A traveling exhibit about the Tuskegee Airmen is at New Orleans Lakefront Airport through Saturday. The African-American pilots and crews overcame prejudice to get training and to fly in combat during World War II.More >>
A traveling exhibit about the Tuskegee Airmen is at New Orleans Lakefront Airport through Saturday. The African-American pilots and crews overcame prejudice to get training and to fly in combat during World War II.More >>
Thursday, May 23 2013 2:04 PM EDT2013-05-23 18:04:49 GMT
A nationally known priest from the Archdiocese of New York is sharing a message of faith in Southwest Louisiana. Father Jonathan Morris was the featured speaker at Thursday's Christus Hospice Luncheon.More >>
A nationally known priest from the Archdiocese of New York is sharing a message of faith in Southwest Louisiana.More >>
Thursday, May 23 2013 1:42 PM EDT2013-05-23 17:42:36 GMT
It took 51 years but 73-year-old Felix Vail is finally facing serious questions in the 1962 death of his wife Mary Horton. Felix claimed they were out checking trotlines on the Calcasieu River when MaryMore >>
It took 51 years to arrest suspect Felix Vail in the murder of his wife Mary Horton. KPLC's Lee Peck spoke to her brothers about the latest developments in the case.More >>
Thursday, May 23 2013 12:37 PM EDT2013-05-23 16:37:34 GMT
The following are closures and changes in garbage collection schedules in Southwest Louisiana related to the Memorial Day holiday: Lake Charles: The City of Lake Charles will observe the Memorial DayMore >>
The following are closures and changes in garbage collection schedules in Southwest Louisiana related to the Memorial Day holiday:More >>
Local News, Weather, Traffic, Sports, Stocks, Movies on your Cell PhoneMore >>
Get local news, weather, sports, and video on your mobile device.More >>
BATON ROUGE, LA (KPLC) -
There are three new West Nile cases in Southwest Louisiana this week -- one neuroinvasive case in Calcasieu and two West Nile Fever cases, one in Calcasieu and the other in Beauregard.
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals released the new numbers Friday.
Officials also said there was one new West Nile death this week in the state. Overall, there are 17 new cases statewide.
Officials said 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 338 cases and 13 deaths from the disease reported this year.
"We keep hearing comments like 'West Nile is slowing down,' but the real message is 'West Nile is still a health threat,'" said Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein. "It may be getting later in the year, but we are still seeing new cases, and we continue to have parishes report their first human cases of West Nile. If you can still be bitten by mosquitoes, you can still get West Nile. Protect your health and Fight the Bite."
According to officials, humans contract West Nile when they are bitten by mosquitoes infected with the virus. When people are infected with West Nile, the virus will affect them one of three ways. West Nile neuroinvasive disease is the most serious type, infecting the brain and spinal cord. Neuroinvasive disease can lead to death, paralysis and brain damage. The milder viral infection is West Nile fever, in which people experience flu-like symptoms. The majority of people who contract West Nile will be asymptomatic, which means they show no symptoms. These cases are typically detected through blood donations or in the course of other routine medical tests.
DHH issues a weekly Arbovirus Surveillance Report that details cases detected thus far by parish.
For more on that report and how to "Fight the Bite," click HERE.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and KPLC, a Raycom Media Station.
