Louisiana has seen a surge in new coronavirus cases over a 24 hour period with infections increasing by 1,200 and deaths rising by 88- as New Orleans continues to become an emerging hotspot for the pandemic.
Data shows the death toll in Louisiana rose to 273 with 88 new fatalities as of Tuesday. The number of infections went up by nearly 1,200 to bring the total confirmed cases to 6,424.
It is Louisiana’s biggest one-day spike in both deaths and infections since the coronavirus started spreading rapidly.
New Orleans remains a national virus hotspots with 1,834 of the state’s total cases. The death toll in the city is now at 115.
The city’s Mardi Gras celebrations have been blamed for the causing the virus to spread so rapidly across the state.
At one point, Louisiana was seeing the fast growth rate of the pandemic anywhere in the world and the second-highest coronavirus death rate per capita in the United States.
Experts have said Louisiana could become the next US epicenter if it continues on the current trajectory.
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards described the one-day jump in cases as ‘sobering’.
‘There’s no way to see that number and not be startled,’ Edwards said, adding that the spike could be a result of test results that had stacked up. ‘I pray that’s the case. There’s no reason yet to believe that we’re flattening the curve.’
Gov Edwards said the spike reaffirmed his decision to extend the state’s current stay-at-home order to April 30.
‘I implore everyone to embrace these mitigation measures. Stay at home and save lives. Be patient,’ he said.
Edwards has said the state has only a tiny fraction of the 13,000 ventilators it will need, and that it has yet to receive federal approval to tap a national stockpile.
In New Orleans, authorities are setting up a field hospital to handle the expected overflow of patients at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – the same site where thousands of Hurricane Katrina refugees suffered in 2005.
Gov Edwards has predicted that hospitals in the New Orleans were likely to run out of ventilators by April 4 and of hospital bed space by April 10.
He said Louisiana’s soaring infection rates mean some hospitals will have to start turning away patients in the next week unless statewide efforts to curtail social contact start to show an impact.
His pleas in daily news conferences for residents to stay home amid the pandemic have become increasingly laced with anger and frustration.
‘It’s not that hard to understand!’ Edwards said last week.
‘The trajectory we’re on right now takes us to a place where we cannot meet the demands on our health care system.’
New Orleans (above during the lockdown) remains a national virus hotspots with 1,834 of the state’s total cases. The death toll in the city is now at 101. The city’s Mardi Gras celebrations have been blamed for the causing the virus to spread so rapidly across the state
Hundreds of churchgoers continued to ignore their Gov’s pleas by attending services despite the state-wide social distancing guidelines and bans on large gatherings. About 500 people attended a Sunday service at the Life Tabernacle church in Central, a city of nearly 29,000, outside Baton Rouge
Worshippers still flocked to the church on Tuesday night for a service. As people left the church after the service, people were spotted chatting outside the front doors and not adhering to social distancing
It comes as hundreds of churchgoers continued to ignore their Gov’s pleas by attending services despite the state-wide social distancing guidelines and bans on large gatherings.
About 500 people attended a Sunday service at the Life Tabernacle church in Central, a city of nearly 29,000, outside Baton Rouge.
Police charged the church’s pastor, Tony Spell, on Tuesday for violating the state-wide ban on public gatherings.
Even after the misdemeanor charges were handed out, worshippers still flocked to the church on Tuesday night for a service. As people left the church after the service, people were spotted chatting outside the front doors and not adhering to social distancing. Many churchgoers also exchanged hugs and handshakes as they left.
In announcing the charges against the pastor, Central Police Chief Roger Corcoran said: ‘Instead of showing the strength and resilience of our community during this difficult time, Mr Spell has chosen to embarrass us for his own self-promotion,’ .
‘Mr Spell will have his day in court where he will be held responsible for his reckless and irresponsible decisions that endangered the health of his congregation and our community.
‘This is not an issue over religious liberty, and it’s not about politics. We are facing a public health crisis and expect our community’s leaders to set a positive example and follow the law.’
Furious neighbors had complained to police about the church violating the social distancing orders.
‘Other congregations are using the internet, Skype, and other safe ways to congregate. Why can´t they? What makes them so special?’ neighbor Paul Quinn said.
‘I wish state police would come out and do something… If they get out of church and go to the grocery store, it’s a serious health hazard. They don’t know how many people they’re affecting, and they don´t seem to care. That’s a problem.’
In New Orleans, police broke up a ‘funeral repast’ of about 100 people on Saturday afternoon, issuing a warrant for a 28-year-old man who refused to shut it down and giving the band leader a summons.
Meanwhile, police in New Orleans have come under fire for arresting people for minor crimes, including a homeless man refusing to leave a hotel lobby and a woman who stole $375 worth of food from a grocery store.
Defense lawyers told The Hours that police are locking people up for minor crimes at a time when other states are releasing low-risk prisoners to avoid the risk of coronavirus infections in prisons.