ALEXANDRIA, La. (AP) — A regional state public health official tells the Alexandria City Council that mosquito season and new West Nile virus cases are beginning to wind down.

The Town Talk (http://townta.lk/PE5bz9) reports that the council asked Dr. David Holcombe whether it should boost mosquito control in light of Louisiana’s worst West Nile season since 2002. As of Friday, state health officials knew of 251 infections including 11 deaths.

Alexandria stopped pesticide spraying years ago. Holcombe says spraying isn’t very effective, and it’s better to keep mosquitoes from hatching by putting larvicide into standing water.

The mayor’s chief of staff, T.W. Thompson, says the city already does that. The council asked him to see whether more larvicide should be used.

Thompson said people need to eliminate standing water from their yards.

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Information from: Alexandria Daily Town Talk, http://www.thetowntalk.com