West Nile – Not Zika – A Bigger Threat After Historic Louisiana Floods

While many news outlets have focused on the Zika virus recently, experts say that the West Nile virus poses a bigger threat after flooding in Louisiana.

Flood waters are starting to recede in most areas affected by the floods. For weeks there will be pools of water in trashcans, flower pots, cups, and the like that will hold water. This, obviously, is literal breeding grounds for mosquitoes, which largely increases the risk of the West Nile virus.

In the more present time, it'll cut down on mosquito born illnesses because mosquitoes can't survive in moving water. It's the weeks, and months after, when water is standing that will allow for new mosquitoes to wreak havoc.

Zika isn't much of a concern because of where the flooding happened. There have been 17 cases of Zika identified in Louisiana, but they were all found in people who had traveled outside of the country to Central and South America.

The type of mosquito that carries the Zika virus also hasn't been found in Baton Rouge or Acadiana. It has been found around Lake Pontchartrain, and the New Orleans area, but can't travel large distances.