Infectious Diseases

Infectious diseases remain a significant public health focus, requiring community awareness and coordinated response efforts. Understanding these diseases, their transmission patterns, and prevention methods is crucial for maintaining public health. The New Orleans Health Department actively monitors and responds to various contagious diseases that can affect our community, with particular attention to seasonal and emerging health challenges.

Current Priority Diseases

Measles

• As of April 23, 2025, there are two travel-associated cases of Measles in the Greater New Orleans area.
• Nationally, there is an outbreak in Texas and New Mexico and the number of cases continues to increase.
• Measles is one of the most contagious infectious diseases in the world. 
• The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is available to protect against the virus.

More information about measles

Pertussis/Whooping Cough

• As of late March 2025, there have been 164 cases of pertussis identified in Louisiana.
• Two (2) young infants have died from pertussis in the last 6 months.
• Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by the bacterium Bordatella pertussis. It can affect individuals of all ages, but can be most serious for infants who are less than 1 year old.
• The CDC recommends people of all ages get the whooping cough vaccine. DTaP and Tdap vaccines protect against tetanus and diphtheria.
  • DTaP - recommended for children younger than 7 years of age
  • Tdap - recommended for older children, teens, and adults.
• Pregnant women should get the Tdap vaccine during the third trimester of any pregnancy.
• Babies and children younger than 7 years old receive DTaP vaccine a total of five times:
  • 2 months of age
  • 4 months of age
  • 6 months of age
  • 15 to 18 months of age
  • 4 to 6 years of age
• Pre-teens should receive a Tdap vaccine.
• If you have questions about getting vaccinated, talk to your healthcare provider.

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

• COVID-19 continues to evolve as a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. While the public health emergency has ended, ongoing vigilance remains important. The virus primarily spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. Symptoms can range from mild (or no symptoms) to severe illness, including fever, cough, fatigue, and loss of taste or smell. Prevention strategies include vaccination, good hand hygiene, and staying home when sick.

Mpox

• Mpox is a viral infection that spreads primarily through close personal contact. It can cause a characteristic rash along with flu-like symptoms such as fever and body aches. The disease typically lasts 2-4 weeks and most people recover without serious complications. Prevention focuses on avoiding close contact with infected individuals and vaccination for those at higher risk. While less common than other contagious diseases, maintaining awareness and early detection remain important for public health.

Seasonal Influenza

• The flu is a seasonal respiratory illness that typically peaks between October and May, with January and February seeing the highest number of cases. It can cause fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, and fatigue. The flu can be particularly severe for young children, older adults, pregnant people, and those with chronic health conditions. Annual vaccination provides the best protection against influenza, along with proper hand washing and staying home when sick.

Prevention and Community Response

These diseases, while different in their specific characteristics, share common prevention strategies:

• Regular hand washing
• Staying home when sick
• Keeping up to date with recommended vaccinations
• Maintaining awareness of local disease activity
• Seeking medical attention when symptoms develop

Vaccines for Children (VFC) Providers

There are many clinics throughout the greater New Orleans area that are enrolled VFC providers. See below for a map of current locations.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Children through 18 years of age that meet at least one of the following criteria are eligible for VFC: Medicaid Eligible, Uninsured, American Indian or Alaskan Native - as defined by the Indian Health Services Act.
• Underinsured children are eligible to receive vaccine only if they are served by a Federally Qualified Health Center, Rural Health Clinic or Office of Public Health, Parish Health Unit. (Underinsured - a child whose health insurance benefit plan does not include vaccinations.)
• Children whose health insurance covers the cost of vaccinations are not eligible for VFC program benefits, even when a claim for the cost of the vaccine and its administration would be denied, if submitted to the insurance carrier for payment, because the plan's deductible had not been met.

For more information on the VFC program, go to the Louisiana Department of Health's page - https://ldh.la.gov/immunization-program/louisiana-vaccines-for-children-vfc.