Harlan Kirgan
The case count from the virus known as COVID-19 is continuing to rise as residents were ordered by Gov. John Bel Edwards to stay at home to prevent the virus from spreading.
The first Tri-Parish death was reported on Friday. An 89-year-old Acadia Parish man reportedly died from from COVID-19. The man had underlying medical conditions, according to a news release from the Acadia Parish Office Of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.
There were eight positive tests in Acadia Parish as of Friday, up from none the previous Friday.
Also as of noon Friday, there were 10 positive tests for coronavirus in St. Landry Parish, up from two the previous Friday.
Eunice Mayor Scott Fotenot said he had not been informed of any positive tests for the virus from a Eunice resident.
“They don’t think any community is going to be immune from this,” he said.
There are people in Acadian Medical Center who have been tested for the virus, but so far no one has tested positive, he said.
“I’m ready for this to be over with. I’m ready for people to get back to work,” he added.
In the noon Louisiana Department of Health update on the coronavirus outbreak, there were four cases reported in Evangeline Parish.
The report from St. Martin Parish was that three people had died from the virus out of 10 cases.
News reports were the victims were a 41-year-old Breaux Bridge man. The other victims were 70 and 89 years old.
There 44 positive cases in Lafayette Parish.
As of Friday there were 119 deaths and 2,746 cases in the state. Of the positive cases, 773 people were hospitalized and 270 were on ventilators.
Positive cases were in 54 the 64 parishes.
The state lab had completed 2,476 tests and 18,883 commercial tests had been reported to the state.
On March 20, there had been 14 deaths, 537 cases and the virus had been confirmed in 28 out of the 64 parishes.