Aerial sprays launch to fight West Nile in Ouachita Parish
Posted:
Updated:
June 21, 2012 10:38 AM
Story by: Jordyn Taylor
MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - Before you step outside, it's important that you protect yourself from bloodsucking critters.
Within the last few weeks 18 mosquito pools taken from neighborhoods in the parish have tested positive for West Nile virus.
That's a significant increase than last year, when Ouachita Parish had no positive tests.
"It's not only an increase here," said Ouachita Mosquito Abatement District director Shannon Rider. "It's an increase statewide and throughout the nation."
More areas test positive for West Nile in Ouachita Parish.
That's why the abatement district is moving off the ground and conducting aerial sprays to help fight the bite.
"We're able to get into more territory with the air plane versus the trucks," said Rider.
So far the mosquito abatement is only doing aerial sprays in neighborhoods that have tested positive - but truck sprays are scheduled throughout all of Ouachita Parish.
"We've increased the dosage in the trucks as well," said Rider. "And they are ramping up their spraying in the outer areas, those areas that have not yet been infected by west Nile but could in the future."
Although West Nile can be deadly, the Mosquito Abatement District said there's no need to panic just protect yourself.
"It's not an epidemic," said Rider. "We're trying to prevent it from becoming an epidemic by using the airplanes."
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