Louisiana Resumes Release of Nursing Home Virus Stats
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Louisiana has again begun listing details on the extent of coronavirus infections at individual nursing homes in the state.
The 12-page list includes homes with no infections, but several with an infection rate of more than 50 percent. They include the Southeast Louisiana War Veterans Home in St. John the Baptist Parish, where 80 of 88 residents have tested positive for coronavirus. There have been 28 deaths reported there and there have been 36 infections among staffers.
LDH is also now breaking down the numbers of each nursing home with positive cases with a weekly report, detailing cases among both residents and staff as well as fatalities.
You can find that report here.
Statewide there have been more than 34,700 confirmed coronavirus infections, with more than 26,000 recoveries and 2,440 deaths.
On Monday, the Louisiana Department of Health reported 15 new COVID-19 fatalities, bringing the state’s total death toll to 2,440. On Sunday, the state reported just 12 fatalities. Governor John Bel Edwards says it’s been since the end of March that the state has reported death totals this low since the end of March.
State health officials say they’ve seen an increase in cases in the Acadiana area. The LDH is monitoring the increase carefully and this recent increase is due to outbreaks at three worksites that are not open to the public. Assistant health secretary Dr. Alex Billioux says the clusters have been found on crawfish farms involving migrant workers living in a dormitory setting.
(Story written by KEVIN McGILL/AP and Jeff Palermo/Louisiana Radio Network)
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