Harlan Kirgan
St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court Charles Jagneaux is closing his second-floor office in the Eunice Municipal Complex citing a COVID-19 outbreak.
“I have decided to close the Eunice branch office until it is safe to reopen it because of the COVID pandemic. Also, the citizens of Eunice should be warned that unsafe practices lead to continuing the spread of the virus. They should wear masks and practice social distancing,” he said on Friday.
Eunice Mayor Scott Fontenot said on Friday he does not plan to close City Hall, but said the building would be deep-cleaned over the weekend.
The mayor said there has been positive cases of the virus on the second floor of the building.
“It is getting around,” he said of the virus.
“If you are sick stay home,” he urged.
Eunice City Marshal Terry Darbonne said one of his staff members tested positive for the virus and he has recovered from it.
Saying he is fine now, Darbonne said he had a high fever, cough and “felt real bad” with the virus.
Darbonne also urged anyone feeling sick to stay home.
He said he could probably name 25 people with the virus in Eunice.
Fontenot said the hospital is not overwhelmed with patients at this time.
Jagneaux said taking precautions against the virus doesn’t cost much, but will protect people who have compromised health conditions.
“I don’t think people realize the affect that catching the virus might have on them because if you don’t have health insurance and you get stuck with a doctor or hospital bill it is going to be a financial disaster for some people,” Jagneaux said.
“If you have to go two weeks without work that is a financial hit that not many people can withstand,” he said.
The reports of virus in Eunice come after a Baton Rouge judge on Thursday upheld Gov. John Bel Edwards’ coronavirus restrictions.
Republican House members challenged the governor’s authority to invoke rules to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Edwards has ordered a statewide mask mandate, social distancing requirements and gathering limits — as the country experiences the most severe surge in coronavirus cases since the pandemic began.
The state Department of Health reports the positivity rate in St. Landry Parish is on the rise.
The department’s website has a total death count from the virus of 140 in St. Landry Parish. There have been 4,066 cases i the parish.
In the state, there have been 5,885 deaths and 194,683 confirmed cases.
The state health site reports in St. Landry Parish public schools there have been 18 staff members and 41 students confirmed as having had the virus. From Nov. 2 to 8, there have been eight staff member and 20 students confirmed with the virus.
At LSUE, 46 students have been confirmed with the virus and six staff members.