Last week, Louisiana officials announced the state’s first finding of West Nile virus (WNV) in 2002. A cardinal bird from East Baton Rouge Parish tested positive for WNV at the Louisiana Veterinary Diagnostic Lab at the Louisiana State University Veterinary School on March 21.

In response to this case, the Mosquito Control Board has been notified and the Office of Public Health has initiated the surveillance of the most common carriers of this disease, such as crows, blue jays and raptors. The Office of Public Health also asks citizens for their assistance by bringing dead birds to their nearest parish health unit’s Environmental Health Services