NEWS RELEASE
August 7, 2006

For immediate release:

The St. Tammany Parish Mosquito Abatement District received results from the LSU Veterinary School Diagnostic Laboratory on 46 mosquito pools, with eight returning positive for West Nile virus. These pools were collected on July 25 and 31. The positive pools came from five locations within Covington, Mandeville, and Abita Springs. None of the 18 chicken blood samples returned positive for West Nile virus. These data continue to indicate that virus levels are relatively high in the parish. All the areas where positive mosquitoes were collected received an aerial application last week.

We are beginning to see an increase in container breeding mosquitoes, namely the Asian tiger mosquito. This mosquito is capable of transmitting West Nile virus. Inspectors have also been finding the southern house mosquito, the primary carrier for West Nile virus, breeding in containers. It is important that residents check their yards for any open containers that will hold water such as bowls, buckets, cans, wheelbarrows, saucers in potted plants, etc., and empty the water and store the containers in a place where they will not collect water. Finding all stages of mosquito development in these containers is common, which means that each day more adult mosquitoes emerge. The best control for these mosquitoes is to eliminate the breeding, because the spray to kill adult mosquitoes affects only the flying mosquitoes at that time. If breeding is taking place in a yard, then infiltration of more adult mosquitoes will occur in a day or two.

Last week the District treated 90,000 acres by air and another 45,000 acres by truck. In doing so, the entire parish received treatment. This week the District will continue an aggressive spray campaign throughout the parish. Overall, mosquito populations are relatively low; however, the Asian tiger mosquito breeding in containers has been increasing in numbers.

Residents are once again advised to take precautions when going outdoors in mosquito prone areas during periods of peak mosquito activity by wearing long sleeve shirts and long pants and using mosquito repellent with DEETŪ or other proven repellents.

For questions, please contact Chuck Palmisano, Director at 985/643-5050.

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