Ouachita Parish's COVID new cases flat; Louisiana cases surge 51.9%
New coronavirus cases leaped in Louisiana in the week ending Sunday, rising 51.9% as 5,083 cases were reported. The previous week had 3,346 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Louisiana ranked 36th 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 31.8% from the week before, with 796,108 cases reported. With 1.4% of the country's population, Louisiana had 0.64% of the country's cases in the last week. Across the country, 42 states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.
Ouachita Parish reported 66 cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 65 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 47,602 cases and 755 deaths.
Richland Parish reported six cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported six cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 6,192 cases and 98 deaths.
Union Parish reported 12 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported three cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 6,421 cases and 135 deaths.
Caldwell Parish reported one case and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported two cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 3,343 cases and 55 deaths.
Within Louisiana, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Orleans Parish with 294 cases per 100,000 per week; Plaquemines Parish with 241; and Jefferson Parish with 188. 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 Orleans Parish, with 1,147 cases; Jefferson Parish, with 814 cases; and East Baton Rouge Parish, with 544. Weekly case counts rose in 52 parishes from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week's pace were in Jefferson, Orleans and East Baton Rouge parishes.
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Louisiana ranked 48th among states in share of people receiving at least one shot, with 61% of its residents at least partially vaccinated. The national rate is 77.7%, a USA TODAY analysis of CDC data shows. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which are the most used in the United States, require two doses administered a few weeks apart.
In the week ending Wednesday, Louisiana reported administering another 19,025 vaccine doses, including 2,727 first doses. In the previous week, the state administered 23,113 vaccine doses, including 3,305 first doses. In all, Louisiana reported it has administered 6,248,403 total doses.
Across Louisiana, cases fell in seven parishes, with the best declines in Natchitoches Parish, with 9 cases from 14 a week earlier; in Winn Parish, with 2 cases from 7; and in East Feliciana Parish, with 1 cases from 3.
In Louisiana, 18 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 1,183,889 people in Louisiana have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 17,313 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 83,281,329 people have tested positive and 1,002,173 people have died.
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Louisiana's COVID-19 hospital admissions rising
USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, May 22.
Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:
- Last week: 391
- The week before that: 261
- Four weeks ago: 169
Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:
- Last week: 53,333
- The week before that: 49,215
- Four weeks ago: 39,443
Hospitals in 31 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 29 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 37 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.