State health officials say we are seeing widespread flu cases as we approach the Carnival season. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 1 (32) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”
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Addicts in Tangipahoa Parish can now turn to a source of help they may not have expected… law enforcement. Jeff Palermo has the story.
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According to the Louisiana Department of Health, the flu is on the rise as almost 6% of doctor visits are for flu-like symptoms. LDH flu bug expert Dr. Frank Welch says the state has seen several small outbreaks in schools and nursing homes.
Welch says the main strain going around is a very serious strain known as H1N1…
Cut 4 (04) “…more serious type.″
Welch says while there are a number of preventative measures that can be taken to reduce the risk of catching the flu, the best protection is to get the flu shot.
Cut 5 (10) “…from sick people.”
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The jaguar that escaped his cage at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans and killed nine other animals last summer is back on display after a half-year hiatus. Vice president of the Zoo Joel Hamilton says after the tragic breakout, they redesigned the exhibit to make it safer, and more appealing.
Valerio was born in San Diego in 2015, and moved to New Orleans in 2017.
The jag chewed through a fence in his enclosure and went on a killing spree back in July of 2018, before he was ultimately sedated by zoo employees. He’s been kept out of public view for some time, but Jaguar Jungle Curator Liz Wilson says the new showcase is perfect for the big cat.
Hamilton says Valerio is an important part of the zoos mission to educate the public about the rapidly disappearing population of wild jaguars and other large felines.
Valerio killed five alpacas, an emu, and three foxes during the incident.
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The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine gets 11 and a half million dollars in funding to launch the Center for Lung Biology and Disease. The center will work with researchers on LSU’s campus and others to develop new understandings and techniques for treating devastating lung diseases. LSU Associate Vice President for Research and Economic Development Dr. Gus Kousoulas.
The five year grant comes courtesy of the National Institutes of Health.
Kousoulas says the grant is a big win for both the university, and may actually come with up to 16 million in direct funding, and more from total economic impact.
The grant is renewable for two additional five year terms, for more than 32 million dollars in total funding.
Kousoulas says the state is swamped with lung disease issues, and further research into the biology of how the body reacts to initial infections and fights them off will be crucial to addressing those problems.
Kousoulas says the funding will help the school establish facilities that will make it eligible to receive millions more in from other institution’s grants in the future.
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Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Daniel Edwards has announced the establishment of Operation Angel, a program where individuals suffering from addictions can turn to local law enforcement for help in getting to rehab. It’s called Operation Angel, and Edwards says the program isn’t just limited to his agency.
For those that might be paranoid that it could be a trap, Edwards says part of the program is working with the permission of the DA’s office, and those in need of help need not fear legal ramifications.
The announcement of the program’s launch officially took place at 10am this morning at a press conference, but Edwards says they had someone reach out for help just before it got started.
Cut 14 (04) “…getting them there.”
Edwards says all of this is done by the faith-based community at no charge to the individual.