No more West Nile virus

The West Nile virus found last week in Ruston and a parish neighborhood just outside the city limits is no more.

The state lab that monitors local viral activity reported Friday the local samples not only tested negative for West Nile, but also for Easter Equine Encephalitis and St. Louis Encephalitis, Kellie Nestrud, program director for Vector Disease Control International, said.

VDCI provides mosquito abatement services for Ruston.

On June 23, the state reported two positive West Nile pools, one on Richardson Street in Ruston, in the southeastern part of the city, and the other off Cedar Creek Road, just north of the Ruston city limits.

The disease-carrying mosquitos were found in standing water around septic leaks in both areas. The leaks have been fixed.

At the same time, VDCI increased its surveillance, larviciding and adulticiding in order to reduce the infectious mosquitos.

To help keep the mosquito population down, VDCI suggests residents remove standing water from your surroundings, such as flower pots, birdbaths, discarded tires, or any other containers that can collect water and serve as mosquito breeding grounds.