Ouachita Parish's COVID cases up 28.8%; Louisiana cases holding steady
Louisiana reported 13,968 new cases of coronavirus in the week ending Sunday, from 13,893 the week before of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Louisiana ranked sixth among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the latest week coronavirus cases in the United States increased 11.8% from the week before, with 800,077 cases reported. With 1.4% of the country's population, Louisiana had 1.75% of the country's cases in the last week. Across the country, 38 states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.
John Hopkins University has been collecting data from Louisiana on an erratic schedule, skewing week-to-week comparisons.
Ouachita Parish reported 564 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 438 cases and four deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 52,472 cases and 760 deaths.
Richland Parish reported 160 cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 70 cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 7,035 cases and 100 deaths.
Union Parish reported 73 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 56 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 7,161 cases and 135 deaths.
Caldwell Parish reported 42 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 24 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 3,711 cases and 55 deaths.
Within Louisiana, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Richland Parish with 795 cases per 100,000 per week; West Carroll Parish with 711; and Bossier Parish with 496. The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per 100,000 per week.
Adding the most new cases overall were Caddo Parish, with 1,122 cases; Jefferson Parish, with 1,101 cases; and East Baton Rouge Parish, with 1,022. Weekly case counts rose in 38 parishes from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week's pace were in Caddo, Ouachita and Rapides parishes.
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Across Louisiana, cases fell in 24 parishes, with the best declines in East Baton Rouge Parish, with 1,022 cases from 1,281 a week earlier; in Terrebonne Parish, with 374 cases from 489; and in Jefferson Parish, with 1,101 cases from 1,215.
In Louisiana, 26 people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 19 people were reported dead.
A total of 1,310,829 people in Louisiana have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 17,418 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 87,843,561 people have tested positive and 1,017,848 people have died.
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Louisiana's COVID-19 hospital admissions rising
USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, July 3. Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:
Last week: 856
The week before that: 745
Four weeks ago: 488
Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:
Last week: 65,244
The week before that: 61,335
Four weeks ago: 56,288
Hospitals in 33 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 28 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 40 states admitted more COVID-19 patients in the latest week than a week prior, the USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Health and Human Services data shows.
The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Disease Control. If you have questions about the data or the story, contact Mike Stucka at mstucka@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Monroe News-Star: Ouachita Parish reported 564 additional COVID-19 cases this week
