More West Nile Virus Cases Confirmed in Louisiana

State health officials have confirmed ten more cases of West Nile virus in Louisiana during the past week.  

The Department of Health and Hospitals says that brings our total number of cases so far this year to 52.

Of the ten new cases, DHH says seven were the most serious neuroinvasive disease. Five of those were in East Baton Rouge Parish and there was one each in Ascension and Ouachita.  There were no new cases of West Nile fever last week.  The remaining three infections were all asymptomatic cases.  Two of those were here in Caddo Parish and the other was in Pointe Coupee.

With the number of West Nile cases continuing to grow, DHH is urging residents to be vigilant and continue to protect themselves from mosquitoes.  Humans contract West Nile when they are bitten by mosquitoes infected with the virus.