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CNN Live Saturday

Interview With David Hood

Aired August 03, 2002 - 12:31   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Our top story this hour, the West Nile virus. Four deaths in Louisiana have put that state on an emergency footing. With us now from Baton Rouge, Louisiana is David Hood, the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals. Thanks very much, Mr. Hood, for joining us.

DAVID HOOD, SECRETARY, LOUISIANA DEPT. OF HEALTH AND HOSPITALS: Thank you, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Well, Louisiana with the second largest outbreak followed by New York back in 1999. Louisiana as a whole now, 58 cases. New York had 62 at the time. Is it your concern or worry that Louisiana is likely to break that record?

HOOD: There's no doubt in my mind, Fredricka. We'll probably do that in the next few days. I think Louisiana will have the largest outbreak. In fact, I think we will have many more cases before this is over.

WHITFIELD: And are you finding that the outbreak is concentrated in a particular area, or is this statewide?

HOOD: Well, unfortunately, it is almost statewide, even as we speak, and I expect it will be statewide very shortly.

WHITFIELD: Last summer, there were an awful lot of cases throughout the South, including Louisiana. There were widespread mosquito abatement programs in place. Are you finding that perhaps these mosquitoes are immune to the abatement programs that have been used, or are you taking new measures?

HOOD: We have the Centers for Disease Control down here with us working side by side with us. They have not expressed that concern. At least not yet. And I think it is a good thing we have the abatement programs that we do. We have been on to this problem since March and April, doing surveillance. And if we had not done that and helped direct the spraying where it needed to be, I think the problem would already be much worse than it is.

WHITFIELD: Now, what about birds, since the West Nile is carried by the birds who are then bitten by the mosquitoes who then carry it on to humans. What are you finding in terms of birds that have been dying or birds that have come up with any positive tests of West Nile? HOOD: We have collected 120 birds throughout the state that tested positive for West Nile virus, as well as 80 horses. So, this is normally a precursor to human cases, and we expect that in those areas that have not yet had human cases but have had animal cases, we will see human cases very shortly.

WHITFIELD: And are you finding that in the cases of the humans that have been infected so far, of the more than 50, have their symptoms been very much in the early stages? We talked a little bit earlier in this broadcast about what some of those symptoms are, those flu-like symptoms. Is that what most of these people are experiencing, or are they in more advanced stages?

HOOD: Well, some are in more advanced stages. For the most part, it's the early stages, flu-like, but in some cases it's more advanced. In fact, we have had four deaths already.

WHITFIELD: Right. And other states that are currently dealing with the problem as well, Texas and Mississippi right now. Are you, Louisiana, comparing notes with Texas and Mississippi?

HOOD: Yes, we are. We're working closely with officials in that state. In fact, we're coordinating very closely with Mississippi. They have had 23 cases so far, and we're comparing notes, we're sharing our media campaign with Mississippi, so that hopefully they can deliver the message to people out there to take precautions.

WHITFIELD: All right. Secretary David Hood of Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, thank you very much for joining us.

HOOD: Thank you.

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