NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana reported 14,077 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, breaking another single-day record for new cases since the start of the pandemic.
The Louisiana Department of Health said there were 1,412 people hospitalized across the state with the virus on Wednesday, an increase of 125 patients since the previous day’s update. Of those patients, 76 percent were not fully vaccinated.
COVID-19 hospitalizations in the state are at the highest level since mid-September as the state recovered from record-setting patient levels in the Delta variant’s surge. There are about 1,200 more people in the hospital with COVID-19 compared to just three weeks ago. Hospitalizations have nearly doubled from the 762 patients reported just one week ago.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards will join State Health Officer Joseph Kanter on Thursday to discuss the state’s response to the surging Omicron variant. Edwards and Kanter are set to address the media at 2:30 p.m.
Christina Stephens, a spokesperson for Edwards’ office, said that Louisiana’s vaccination rate remains around 50 percent with roughly one-third of vaccinated individuals also getting their booster shots.
“Roughly 20 percent of tests reported to LDH today in Louisiana were positive for COVID,” Stephens said. “As a reminder, our record new cases count for today does not include the results of most at-home COVID rapid tests.”
Louisiana is ushering in Carnival season on Kings Day. The weeks-long celebration comes amid a surge of COVID-19 infections, with officials stressing safety even as plans for major parades in February continue.
Last year's Carnival celebration was largely canceled as infections and hospitalizations surged. Now, officials hope that the availability of vaccines and rules requiring proof of vaccination or negative tests at bars and restaurants will make for safe festivities.
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.