COVID is on the rise again, and Louisiana is one of the top states for infections, federal data shows.
The CDC is keeping track of COVID infection levels by monitoring the virus in wastewater. The process was paused last fall, but resumed this summer. In Louisiana, 33 systems are testing the water and the data from those sites put Louisiana in the "very high" category this week.
The CDC has Louisiana listed as one of only three states reaching the "moderate" level of COVID as a diagnosis for emergency room visits. All other states had lower levels; only Louisiana, Texas and Florida reached "moderate." Louisiana also is in the top five states in terms of positive test rates last week, with at least 20 percent of tests reporting positive for COVID. Hospitals and labs aren't required to report positive tests any longer, but many still voluntarily do so. So far this week, 19 percent of tests in Louisiana were reported positive for COVID, compared to about 2 percent for flu and .3 percent for RSV.
Since October, almost 500 people have died of COVID in Louisiana, including four children. Last month, eight people died of COVID in Louisiana.
“Louisiana is currently experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases. At Ochsner Health, our hospitalizations have surged from under 10 COVID-positive patients system-wide just a few months ago to now exceeding 130 hospitalized individuals. Most people who test positive for COVID are not being hospitalized or becoming as critically ill as we have seen in the past; however, the increased statewide percent positivity hints at a summer spike.
"Individuals with COVID-like symptoms are advised to follow preventive measures like hand hygiene, masking, and isolation. Getting vaccinated or boosted is strongly recommended as the best defense against severe illness from the virus," says Dr. Sandra Kemmerly, system medical director, Infectious Diseases, Ochsner Health.
