Health officials have reported a total of eight deaths in Louisiana due to COVID-19 and a minimum of 280 confirmed cases.
The eighth death occurred Wednesday evening at St. James Parish Hospital, the first confirmed case in St. James Parish.
There are officially 2 confirmed case in Lafayette, Mayor-President Josh Guillory announced Wednesday evening at a last minute 10 p.m. press briefing.
The local cases include one in Ascension Parish and three in East Baton Rouge. Our Lady of the Lake Hospital, Baton Rouge General and Ochsner Medical Center are all treating cases of the virus.
Three of the deaths were reported Wednesday in Orleans and Jefferson Parishes.
Specific patient information was not released on local cases. The Department reported Tuesday that most cases in Louisiana skewed older, with the vast majority of cases involving those ages 40 and older.
Monday, the governor ordered casinos, bars and movie theaters to close. He also ordered restaurants to close seating areas and limit food service to delivery and drive-thru only.
Gatherings of people are now limited to fewer than 50 people, the governor also ordered.
As the deaths from the cases rose over the last few days – all, as of Wednesday, in Orleans or Jefferson parishes – state government and health officials warned of the reasons why those who are healthy or may be ill should adhere to guidelines put into place in the last few days.
“Now more than ever, we must remain vigilant against the spread of this illness by taking care of ourselves and each other, avoiding going into public areas if you are sick, practicing social distancing and washing your hands frequently with soap and water,” Governor Edwards said after the first death.
The Department of Health said most cases involved residents of Orleans Parish. North Louisiana was also treating patients.
Some cases in New Orleans centered at a retirement home.
Patients are scattered at various hospitals. Hospitals remain open at this time.
As of Saturday, March 14 the CDC began allowing state agencies to confirm coronavirus cases within their own labs, without sending test samples to the CDC. The CDC says the decision was made because the state tests have proven to be reliable.
The Louisiana Department of Health reported the state’s first positive case of the virus at an Orleans Parish hospital Monday. The Department of Health said the initial case was not travel-related and was “community acquired.”
Edwards says that LDH has since increased the number of people being tested for coronavirus. The state also recently expanded its testing protocols to include a larger group of people, per CDC guidelines.
“But that’s why it’s important that people take the precautions that we’re giving them because we can limit this. But it’s going to require everyone to do their part,” Edwards said.
The CDC is also urging all large events and mass gatherings, for 8 weeks, to cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States to help prevent the spread.
The state has launched a hotline to answer the public’s questions about the virus. Anyone looking to use the service can dial 2-1-1 to be connected to the network. Written answers can be answered online at www.la211help.org.
https://www.wbrz.com/news/louisiana-reporting-77-coronavirus-cases-one-dies-from-virus/
