NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Louisiana reported 3,800 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 48 new deaths related to the disease Sunday.
The state health department figures showed a total of 107,574 confirmed cases and 3,651 deaths.
Hospitalizations dropped since Friday — the last day figures were released — from 1,600 to 1,557. That would be good news, if it continues. Hospitalizations have been trending upward since sinking to 542 on June 13.
Increased hospitalizations have been one of the factors that prompted state officials and the city of New Orleans to recently tighten some restrictions aimed at fighting the spread of the virus. Another factor has been the percentage of tests with positive results, which has consistently been above 10 percent.
Bars have been the main focus of recent restrictions. Gov. John Bel Edwards limited bars to take-out or delivery service earlier this month. In New Orleans, Mayor LaToya Cantrell went further, outlawing all take-out sales of alcoholic drinks as of Saturday.
People lining up to get alcoholic drinks were hurting city efforts to keep crowds from gathering, Cantrell said Friday.
The number of COVID-19 patients on ventilators also declined from Friday to Sunday, from 197 to 184. The state says 61,456 people are presumed to have recovered from the virus.
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