Louisiana

Louisiana is on track to break previous whooping cough case record

Published

11 months ago

May 14, 2025

Louisiana is on track to break previous whooping cough case record

Louisiana is facing a record-breaking surge of whooping cough cases and is on track to surpass the highest number of reported cases in decades, state health officials said Wednesday.

The state has data on whooping cough, also known as pertussis, going back to the 1990s, said Teresa Sokol, state epidemiologist at the Department of Health. Previously, the highest case count was 214 cases in 2013.

“Our current trajectory with whooping cough cases this year means that we are unfortunately on track to surpass that number of cases, probably before the end of this year,” Sokol said.

During a press conference that incoming LDH Secretary Bruce Greenstein said was about transparency and protecting the public’s health, officials shared updates on both the measles and whooping cough outbreaks. While the state has successfully contained measles, whooping cough cases continue to rise, posing a significant risk to infants too young to be fully vaccinated.

Whooping cough cases rise

As of Wednesday, the state reported 170 whooping cough cases in 2025, surpassing the total of 153 cases recorded in all of last year. Since September 2024, the outbreak has led to 42 hospitalizations, with nearly 70% involving infants under one year old. Two infants have died, marking the first fatalities in Louisiana since 2018.

Newborns are especially vulnerable to whooping cough because they have immature immune systems, said Dr. Margot Anderson, a pediatric infectious disease expert at Tulane University. In older kids, the virus is usually an “annoyance,” but its lengthy contagious period makes it easy to spread.

“We used to call it the 100-day cough,” said Anderson. “They’re contagious for at least three weeks of coughing.”

Infants get their first pertussis vaccine at 2 months. To protect them, Anderson recommended what’s known as “cocooning” – keeping infants away from others until they get their first shot. She also recommended a booster shot during pregnancy to give the baby antibodies.

Five of the 42 hospitalized pertussis patients were vaccinated. Six had an unknown vaccination rate, and the remaining 31 were undervaccinated or unvaccinated.

One in three babies under the age of one who get whooping cough will be hospitalized, said Sokol.

“The younger the baby is, the more likely they’re going to have a severe illness,” she said.

Anyone who is going to be around the infant in early days, such as grandparents or siblings, should be up to date on the pertussis vaccine, which is given as part of the DTaP vaccine for children and the Tdap vaccine for adolescents and adults. Those vaccinecs also protect against diphtheria and tetanus.

It’s likely that whooping cough is going undetected in the state due to less frequent testing, said Sokol. Though Louisiana’s overall case rate for pertussis is lower than the national average, the rate of severe cases requiring hospitalization is significantly higher, at 15% compared to a national average of 5%.

Surgeon General Dr. Ralph Abraham said Louisiana residents should consult health care providers if there are any concerns about a child’s health. He advised parents to seek medical attention if a child has symptoms like high fever, not eating, not drinking, or decreased urinary output.

“I would recommend talking to your health care provider if you have questions about your immunity to these diseases, because there are tests we can do to check your immunity,” Abraham said.

For those who do not have a regular health provider, Abraham recommended visiting a parish health unit.

Measles cases closed

On May 9, Louisiana closed the investigation that stemmed from a travel-related measles case in the New Orleans area in mid-April. One additional case was found through contact tracing, but that case was already past the incubation period when it was identified. According to Dr. Pete Croughan, 75 people were exposed, about half of whom were health care workers.

Two high-risk contacts received post-exposure drugs that are typically given to people who are unvaccinated, “which almost certainly prevented additional cases,” Croughan said.

These cases coincide with a national uptick, with over 1,000 confirmed measles cases across 31 states by early May, the highest annual total since 2019.

Approximately 96% of these cases have occurred in unvaccinated or under-vaccinated individuals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Some parents have asked about giving their children an early measles vaccine before the typical timeline of one year. Anderson advised that since there is no evidence of active spread of measles within the state, early vaccination is generally not necessary, except in cases where a child may travel to areas with ongoing outbreaks.

Recent state policy changes have reduced proactive vaccine promotion, ending mass vaccination events like flu shot fairs and instructing public health employees to direct residents to their health care providers rather than actively recommending vaccines.

Abraham said he would not consider holding vaccine events for pertussis, but said the department was promoting the vaccine on its website, urging residents to speak with their physicians.

Access is a problem Anderson often sees in hospitalized patients with vaccine-preventable diseases.

“We were so interested in this problem of vaccine refusers or skeptics, but oftentimes it’s that they live in Tickfaw, or somewhere really rural, and don’t have transportation,” she said.

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Louisiana

Venture Global CP2 construction site in Cameron cleared after no threat found

Published

11 hours ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

Venture Global CP2 construction site in Cameron cleared after no threat found

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) – The Venture Global CP2 construction site in Cameron has been cleared after a bomb threat was made Sunday, according to a spokesperson from Venture Global.

The bomb threat came in around noon on Sunday, according to officials. Louisiana State Police hazmat and bomb squads were called to investigate.

No shelter in place was deemed necessary and no roads were closed, according to the Cameron Parish Sheriff’s Office.

A Venture Global spokesperson released the following statement:

“Venture Global was made aware of a bomb threat at our CP2 site and immediately activated our established emergency response protocols. We are coordinating closely with state and local authorities as they investigate. The safety and security of our employees and the surrounding community remain our highest priority.”

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Louisiana

Louisiana Children’s Museum hosts fifth annual Mud Fest

Published

1 day ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Louisiana Children’s Museum hosts fifth annual Mud Fest

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — For the fifth consecutive year, the Louisiana Children’s Museum hosted its annual environmental festival, Mud Fest, on Saturday, March 28.

From 10 a.m.-4 p.m., parents and their little ones had the opportunity to have fun in the sun and enjoy the “highlight” of the museum’s spring season.

This event was inspired by the iconic New Orleans festival culture which includes good food, live music and a nice, high-energy atmosphere. Mud Fest is tailored for the “youngest environmental stewards” to have fun and make all the mess they want with mud.

Due to the Crescent City being surrounded by wetland habitats, we interact with water daily in both our rural and urban communities.

The festival generates positive associations with our region and also builds critical thinking skills for future educators, engineers, fishermen and farmers. According to LCM, engaging with nature, water and plants “builds a child’s confidence and fosters a lifelong connection to the Earth.”

“As the Louisiana Children’s Museum celebrates its 40th anniversary, events like Mud Fest reflect our long-standing commitment to hands-on learning that sparks curiosity and connects children to the world around them,” LCM CEO Tifferney White said.

This year, Mud Fest had performances from young musicians of the School of Rock, the Louisiana Sunspots and more. There were also a storytelling stage and various family-friendly activities for visitors to engage in.

Mud Fest partnered with Pontchartrain Conservancy, STEM NOL, Whimscapes and Sugar Roots to put on the event.

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Lana Del Rey gives rare look at modest Louisiana life

Published

2 days ago

March 28, 2026

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Lana Del Rey gives rare look at modest Louisiana life

Lana Del Rey has enjoyed a low-key life with her gator tour guide husband Jeremy Dufrene in Louisiana and the talented singer recently gave an intimate peek into their relationship.

The 40-year-old Young And Beautiful hitmaker (born Elizabeth Grant) took to her Instagram to post a gallery celebrating the swamp guide’s 51st birthday.

The couple looked just as in love as ever following their wedding in September 2024.

Del Rey shared several recent videos from their modest life together including a cute selfie of the couple by the ocean while she let her natural beauty show by going make-up free.

She also posted a cute video of Dufrene loading up the truck with plants they had just purchased from Home Depot and when he realizes he is being filmed, the Louisiana native flashed a big smile and proudly posed with a Jack-o’-lantern pot.

Del Rey also shared a snap of her hand gripping his wrist as her massive engagement ring could be seen in full view.

Lana Del Rey has enjoyed a low-key life with her gator tour guide husband Jeremy Dufrene in Louisiana and the talented singer recently gave an intimate peek into their relationship as she shared a tribute to him on his 51st birthday

Another snap showed Del Rey wearing one of Dufrene’s tour guide shirts featuring his name embroidered above the pocket.

Weeks ago the musical artist gave what appeared to be a glimpse into her married life in her new video.

Del Rey’s Insta Stories video opened with footage from the 1933 Betty Boop cartoon Snow-White, though it focused on a section starring the character Koko the Clown as he’s turned into a ghost.

Then the video abruptly cut to shaky handheld footage of Del Rey dancing with an ecstatic smile plastered on her face.

The two have kept a relatively low profile since their wedding day but did make a notable appearance last month at the pre-New York Fashion Week Ralph Lauren show on February 10.

The happy couple even stopped for a romantic kiss as they walked the red carpet for the iconic designer.

The couple first met in 2019 during one of Dufrene’s swamp excursions and reconnected years later, before tying the knot in September 2024.

In August, Del Rey revealed how she fell for her husband, a Louisiana bayou tour guide who spends his days surrounded by alligators.

Join the debate

What do you think Lana Del Rey’s choice to marry a swamp guide says about fame and real love?

She posted a cute video of Dufrene loading up the truck with plants they had just purchased from Home Depot and when he realizes he is being filmed, the Louisiana native flashed a big smile and proudly posed with a Jack-o’-lantern pot

Del Rey also shared a snap of her hand gripping his wrist as her massive engagement ring could be seen in full view

Another snap showed Del Rey wearing one of Dufrene’s tour guide shirts featuring his name embroidered above the pocket

Del Rey also posted a video of the cover of their wedding album

‘Like many people who work with large, dangerous beasts, Jeremy has a calm, strong presence,’ Del Rey told W magazine.

‘When we met, I realized pretty immediately that I loved him, but that it might get difficult because of what I was bringing to the table,’ she continued.

Del Rey added that Dufrene reassured her from the start: ‘I work with alligators — I have tough skin.’

And true to his word, he listened through all the drama: ‘All the things that made me upset — and there were so many! — he would just listen and say, “You be you — and I’ll just love you more.”’

Weeks ago the musical artist gave what appeared to be a glimpse into her married life and her new video

The two have kept a relatively low profile since their wedding day but did make a notable appearance last month at the pre-New York Fashion Week Ralph Lauren show on February 10

The happy couple stopped for a romantic kiss as they walked the red carpet for the iconic designer

The couple first met in 2019 during one of Dufrene’s swamp excursions and reconnected years later, before tying the knot in September 2024

Tying the knot in 2024 didn’t make the spotlight any gentler.

Del Rey recalled the intense scrutiny they faced, with drones reportedly hovering over their home to snap photos of their wedding and early days as newlyweds.

‘If I was him, I would have been nervous — my emotions were more overwhelming than usual, and my usual emotions can be quite overwhelming!’ she said with a laugh. ‘But Jeremy was fine. He told me, “Don’t worry about me.”’

And when it comes to music inspired by love, fans have already heard a peek. ‘Stars Fell on Alabama. I open my show with that song — that’s it, so far,’ she revealed.

‘Jeremy is the most impactful person in my life. He’s quiet in public, but around me he talks all the time.’

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