NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana reported an additional 53 new deaths linked to COVID-19 on Wednesday, surpassing 9,000 total deaths since the outbreak began.
According to the Louisiana Department of Health, 9,006 deaths have been reported in the state due to the virus. The vast majority of those deaths, more than 6,200, were people aged 70 and older.
COVID-19 deaths surged for a third time starting in mid-November before seemingly reaching a peak in mid-January. As of Wednesday the 7-day average for newly reported deaths was 45.
A sign of positive news in Louisiana: COVID-19 hospitalizations continued to decline on Tuesday, reaching levels previously set in the first days of December. As of Tuesday, the state health department said 1,386 COVID-19 positive patients were hospitalized across the state. The number of patients hospitalized has decreased in eight of the last 10 reporting days.
Louisiana pharmacies to get more vaccine through Biden Plan
Louisiana will receive potentially thousands of extra doses of the coronavirus vaccine steered to Walmart pharmacies under a program announced by President Joe Biden’s administration.
Louisiana's health department said Tuesday that it has opted into the White House program to distribute 1 million doses directly to retail pharmacies. Louisiana will use 56 Walmart pharmacies around the state for the federal program. The pharmacy initiative starts Feb. 11.
Whatever vaccine doses those Walmart pharmacies will start receiving through the federal program next week will come on top of the other Pfizer and Moderna doses shipped directly to the state each week to divvy up on its own.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
