Zika Virus Could Hit Louisiana

The southeast part of Louisiana was already at high risk for the Zika virus, and now wirh the heavy rains that have pummeled our state in the last week or so, that risk is even greater once summer is here and the mosquito population becomes active. Currently two Zika cases have been discovered in southeast Louisiana but neither was transmitted locally. Dr. Frank Welch with the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals says that could soon change, and that health officials are doing extensive surveillance.  "We are working hand in hand with mosquito control, with Health and Hospitals, with physicians, to make sure we do surveillance on both mosquitoes and humans.", Welch said, in order to protect the state from a Zika outbreak.  Adding to the urgency of the work is a new study from the National Center for Atmospheric Research which found New Orleans is at high risk for Zika because of the number of visitors it receives from countries where Zika is prevalent as well as its high poverty rate. Welch said they hope to know more and have a plan before the summer when mosquito activity is at its highest and the risk increases even more.