Louisiana had the third largest single-week increase in cases last week, beaten only by the first two weeks of April during the upswing, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.
There were 1,356 COVID-19 cases reported to the state since Monday, the Department reported on Tuesday.
Of the new cases, 95% are tied to community spread rather than congregate settings like nursing homes.
The seven-parish Acadiana area reported 354 cases, more than a quarter of new cases across Louisiana on the state’s heaviest day for new cases in months. The Region 4 tally on Tuesday was nearly double the next highest of the other eight regions — the New Orleans area, which recorded 185 new cases.
The new Region 4 cases represented 11.1% of new test results, more than double the region’s cumulative positive test rate. Hospitalizations for COVID-19 in the region have increased 40% in four days, from 57 inpatients to 80, according to state data. Positive test rates and hospitalizations are common measures to determine if rising caseloads are attributable to expanded testing.
Hospitalizations across the state have risen steadily for more than a week, especially the past two days. There are now 646 COVID-19 hospitalizations in Louisiana, the most since June 1.
Gov. John Bel Edwards on Monday cited alarming case growth in Acadiana and other regions when announcing his decision to extend the state’s Phase 2 business restrictions for another 28 days.
Every Region 4 parish recorded extraordinarily large numbers of cases on Tuesday, with Lafayette Parish adding 134 cases and 1,218 tests. Lafayette Parish has seen more cases since June 20 than any other four-day period, and the positive test rate since then is 10% — more than double its cumulative rate.
Four Region 4 parishes increased their overall caseloads by double-digit percentage points. The most pronounced increase was in Vermilion Parish, where the overall case load increased by nearly 24%. Vermilion Parish had been one of the least affected Region 4 parishes until recently, but the caseload there has increased 150% in the last 11 days.
“We are quite concerned by today’s COVID-19 numbers and the overall direction we are moving in,” said Dr. Alex Billioux, assistant secretary of the Office of Public Health. “What we are seeing appears to be connected to increased movement, a lot of which is probably related to further reopening of the economy and at least some individuals not adhering to recommended precautions. We are seeing significant COVID-19 spread related to people congregating in groups with little to no social distancing or masking. The largest increase in cases is among young adults.”
COVID-19 statistics for St. Landry and surrounding parishes as noon Wednesday are:
— St. Landry, 530 cumulative cases, 57 deaths;
— Acadia, 726 cumulative cases, 35 deaths;
— Evangeline,140 cumulative cases, one death
— Lafayette, 1,654 cumulative cases, 36 deaths;
— St. Martin, 586 cumulative cases, 26 deaths;
— Pointe Coupee, 226 cumulative cases, 27 deaths; and
— Avoyelles, 254 cumulative cases, 11 deaths.
Also as of noon Wednesday, there have been 3,039 deaths reported from COVID-19, 52,477 cases, 631 people hospitalized, and 77 people on ventilators.