The Louisiana Department of Health has updated its website to reflect the latest number of positives and will continue to update its website at noon each day.
As of noon on March 26, the Department reported 510 additional cases since yesterday, bringing the total to 2,305 positive cases. Important to note are the increases in Caddo Parish (additional 22 cases, bringing the total to 115) and Bossier Parish (additional 25 cases, bringing the total to 32), which the Department and Governor’s Office are monitoring closely.
To further combat the spread of COVID-19 in Louisiana, Governor John Bel Edwards issued a Stay at Home Order on March 22, directing all Louisiana residents to shelter at home and limit movements outside of their homes beyond essential needs.
Hospitalization
Yesterday, 491 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized. Of those, 163 patients required ventilation. Today, 676 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized. Of those, 239 require ventilation. If Louisiana’s growth continues this way and the State is unable to flatten the curve, the New Orleans area could run out of vents by the first week of April.
Nursing homes
The Department of Health has identified COVID-19 clusters in six nursing homes in the state. The five the Department can identify are Chateau D’Ville, Chateau De Notre Dame, Lambeth House, St. James Place and Vista Shores. A cluster is identified as two or more cases that appear to be connected. With the involvement of hospitals and multiple providers and the growth in cases of nursing home residents, going forward the Department will require a lag time in its reporting on specific clusters. The Department aims to be a source of reliable information and needs to be able to allow its epidemiological team time to do its job in notifying providers and patients. Going forward, the Department will report the current number of clusters every day at noon, but will only share names of facilities once the proper notifications have taken place. The Department continues to work with nursing homes to minimize the spread of the illness and protect residents and staff.
Deaths
The Department reports an additional 18 deaths since yesterday, bringing the total of 83 deaths.