COVID IN NWLA - Louisiana has surpassed more than 140,000 Covid-19 confirmed cases since the Coronavirus arrived in the state in early March. Yesterday the Louisiana Department of Health reported 918 new cases which was the fourth straight single-day total below 1,000 daily cases. Twenty-eight more related deaths were reported bringing the Louisiana’s Covid-19 death toll to 4,496.
Schools are reopening for a mix of in-person and hybrid classes and many parents, teachers, students and their extended families are concerned. The Covid numbers in Northwest Louisiana have been on a slight decline as with the rest of the state. Dr. Martha Whyte is director for Region 7 Office of Public Health. Speaking on Red River Radio’s “Health Matters” program last night she gave some insight as to Covid-19 infection rates in Northwest Louisiana.
"Now percent-positivity in our region overall is about an 8.9% so we're below 10% for the nine parishes which is, we know is a good step," Whyte explained. "At one point we were as high as almost 18%."
If we keep doing what we're doing we can keep moving forward and maybe by mid fall we can start seeing some lightening of restrictions. Dr. Martha Whyte, Director LDH Region 7
But Dr. Whyte explained that when Covid-19 cases started to decline during the first wave and businesses began reopening, people stopped taking precautions.
"And then as soon as restrictions were lightened we really took a big step back," Whyte said. "And we had a bigger spike in cases, a bigger spike in number of people in the hospitals then we had even back in April."
As to what people should keep in mind as schools reopen, Dr. Whyte said keep practicing social distancing, wear protective masks and avoid large gatherings.
"So I don't want people to stop doing what they've been doing," Whyte said. "If we keep doing what we're doing we can keep moving forward and maybe by mid fall we can start seeing some lightening of restrictions."
The latest number of Covid-19 cases in Caddo AND Bossier Parishes combined is 9,568 with 390 related deaths.
