Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards speaks at a press conference regarding updates to coronavirus in the state, Wednesday, March 18, 2020, in Baton Rouge, La. (Hilary Scheinuk/The Advocate via AP)
BATON ROUGE (AP) — The number of people known to be infected with the new coronavirus in Louisiana jumped to 347 in figures the state posted Thursday, up from 280 a day earlier.
The death toll stood at eight with the latest victim, a resident of St. James Parish.
The latest numbers showed New Orleans still leading the state in the number of people testing positive for the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease, which has been linked to eight Louisiana deaths. There were 231 cases there as of Thursday morning. Tulane Health System in New Orleans said in a news release it planned to shut down an emergency room in the suburb of Metairie on Friday to move staff to its downtown New Orleans campus to deal with “a surge of COVID-19 and suspected COVID-19 patients.”
Add in neighboring Jefferson Parish with 62 cases, and the cases in other surrounding parishes and the New Orleans metropolitan area had significantly more cases – 315 — than any other metro area in the South, an Associated Press analysis of state health department data shows.
The Atlanta and Miami metro areas – both with more than 200 cases – are also among communities with soaring numbers. The numbers were tallied from state data using the U.S. Office of Management and Budget’s classification of Metropolitan Statistical Areas.
But the virus was also evident in other parts of the state, showing up in 17 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes, including northwestern Louisiana’s Bossier and Caddo, with two and seven respectively; southwestern Louisiana’s Lafayette, with 2; East Baton Rouge, with 5.
Coastal Plaquemines Parish at Louisiana’s southeastern tip, which includes the New Orleans suburban city of Belle Chasse and vast rural landscapes, reported its first case late Wednesday.
The vast majority of people recover within weeks after catching this virus, and for most people, it causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. But for older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause severe illness requiring hospitalization.
Gov. John Bel Edwards cautioned Louisianans to get ready for a surge in coronavirus cases as testing capacity grows statewide.
Edwards has closed K-12 public schools, bars, gyms, casinos and movie theaters and has limited restaurants to delivery and takeout until at least April 13. Public gatherings of more than 50 people are banned. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has prohibited all public and private gatherings.
Small businesses struggling with virus-related restrictions will be eligible to apply for low-interest federal disaster loans. Edwards announced Thursday that Louisiana won federal approval for its request to make the U.S. Small Business Administration aid available in all 64 parishes.
Four of the people who died from the virus lived in the New Orleans retirement home Lambeth House, which has seen a cluster of cases. There have been two other New Orleans deaths, one in Jefferson Parish and the death of a 60-year-old person reported Thursday in St. James.
Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon issued new regulations requiring health insurers to waive co-pays and deductibles for COVID-19 testing, and banning insurers from requiring prior authorization for testing ordered by doctors. Insurers also must allow early refills of most non-opioid medications.
Louisiana was readying several state parks to house people who have tested positive for the coronavirus and don’t need hospitalization, but can’t return home because of elderly relatives, homelessness or other reasons. Already, at least 10 people infected with the virus were staying at Jefferson Parish’s Bayou Segnette State Park, Edwards said.
Also, Republican Rep. Steve Scalise, of Jefferson Parish, announced he now must work remotely on the national coronavirus response because he had an “extended meeting” last week with Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart of Florida, who tested positive. Scalise said he does not have any COVID-19 symptoms, but is self-isolating out of caution.
___
McGill reported from New Orleans. Associated Press writer Jeff Martin in Atlanta contributed to this report.
___
The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
___
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.
Comments