Model shows up to 3,000 COVID-19 cases in parish

By Harlan Kirgan
Editor
OPELOUSAS — After a news conference in Opelousas on Tuesday, Ken Cochran, president and CEO of Opelousas General Health System, said a model projects the number of COVID-19 cases at 800 to 3,000 in St. Landry Parish.
Even 800 cases would exceed the approximate 250 hospital beds in the parish.
During the news conference called by St. Landry Parish Government, Cochran said Opelousas hospital is renovating its fourth floor to create 24 isolation rooms. Once completed by end of this week, the hospital will have 41 isolation beds where negative air pressure reduces viral particles in the air, he said.
The hospital has seven isolation rooms now.
The hospital has 24 ventilators and, according to modeling, needs about 15 more, he said.
The hospital is short of masks and personal protection equipment and is on the phone constantly trying to locate more, he said. “We have enough for now.”
St. Landry Parish has advantage against the virus of being rural, but is disadvantaged by having two major highways cross it.
Cochran also noted the parish experienced its first death to the coronavirus.
“This is not a game or a political statement. Please join health care workers in actively saving lives by staying home,” he said.
Bill Rodier, CEO of St. Landry Economic Development, also stressed the need for people going to shop at grocery and other stores that remain open.
“If you have to go please, please limit the number of people that go. Too often I see families of three, four, five and six people in the Lowe’s and Super Walmart,” he said.
Limiting the amount of shopping and the number of people who go into a store will allow the stores to operate safely.
Rodier said April is going to be challenging for business, especially those closed or on limited operations.
The business owners should take time to learn about the assistance they may receive under the CARES Act passed last week. Information is at opportunitystlandry.com and opportunitylouisiana.com/covid19.
Displaced workers may apply for benefits at aworks.net.
Opelousas Mayor Julius Alsandor said the COVID-19 spread has only just started and asked people to stay home as much as possible.
“Our president extended social distancing for another 15 days until the end of April. If he is doing it nationally, what do you think we should do lcoally and statewide? Please, let’s come together,” he said.
“How you respond to this will dictate how tomorrow will be,” he said.
Rep. Dustin Miller also urged people to avoid family and friend gatherings.
“Try to limit going to the grocery store to once a week,” he said.
Miller said the capacity of critical care facilities in Acadian is filling up. “We need to do our part. This is serious. Stay home.”