The Louisiana Department of Health reported an additional 5,602 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 47 confirmed deaths in its midday update on Sunday.
In Sunday’s update, the state reported the highest number of COVID-positive patients in the hospital since April 17, when the state had 1,868 COVID-positive patients.
The number of hospitalizations has increased by 102 since Thursday, to 1,833. The number of patients who need ventilators has increased by two.
There are also 29,979 “likely” cases of coronaviruses in total in Louisiana, according to the agency’s panel.
No data was released on Friday because of the New Year holiday.
These are other important statistics across the state of Sunday:
- Total confirmed cases: 291,079
- Total “probable” cases: 29,979
- Total confirmed deaths: 7,162
- Currently hospitalized: 1,833
- Currently on fans: 204
- Vaccine series started: 45,289 (updated twice a week)
- Vaccine series completed: 0
- Presumed recovered: 263,712 on December 28 (updated weekly)
Note: The Advocate and The Times-Picayune team calculates the daily case count and increases confirmed mortality based on the difference between today’s total and yesterday’s total of confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths. The Louisiana Department of Health publishes a daily case count on its panel that includes probable cases as indicated by a positive antigen test. This case count may differ from the one listed here.
Here are some of the parishes with the biggest three-day increase in confirmed coronavirus cases, based on Thursday’s report:
- Jefferson: 877
- Orleans: 581
- Caddo: 421
- East Baton Rouge: 413
- St. Tammany: 409
- Ouachita: 293
- Lafayette: 253
- Ascension: 181
- Calcasieu: 172
You can see more graphs and tables detailing the data by clicking here.
Louisiana began reopening to Phase 1 on May 15 and 16, then moved to Phase 2 on June 5. Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards extended Louisiana’s Phase 2 restrictions twice in August before moving the state to Phase 3 on 9/11. the state back to modified Phase 2 towards the end of November.
This is a developing story. More details and analysis are to come.