West Nile-positive chicken verified in City of Franklin

LSU’s Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab has confirmed a West Nile positive sentinel chicken within the city limits of Franklin.
Jessie Boudreaux, Cajun Mosquito Control, the contractor in the local area, said the company now following the cdc expanded transmission protocol measures for West Nile virus in this area.
Residents are encouraged to wear insect repellant, preferably one containing DEET. Always read repellant labels carefully, especially for younger children. Also, try to wear light colored, long sleeve clothing and socks.
Repair or replace broken screens on windows and doors, and avoid using perfumes or colognes. Residents should remove any standing water around their homes or businesses. Clogged rain gutters and pet water bowls can produce thousands of mosquitoes per week and something as small as a coke can or bottle cap can produce a brood of mosquitoes. Please remove any stagnant water.
Avoiding mosquitoes and their peak activity times of dusk and dawn is highly recommended, but if one must be outside, please wear a repellant. Personal protection and yard sanitation is recommended and encouraged.
During the evening hours ULV truck-mounted sprayers will be assigned to spray the City of Franklin in an effort to reduce/maintain the vector population below critical levels as noted in the CDC expanded protocol measures. Spraying will be conducted for three consecutive evenings in the affected areas, weather permitting.
The efficacy of these truck spraying operations will be determined through the use of Gravid traps that are scheduled for operation immediately following the completion of the mosquito control activities. The number of mosquitoes collected will serve to quantify the adult population and provide specimens to be submitted for testing at Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab.
Links with helpful information are provided through the website at: cajunmosquitocontrol.com.