Latest Numbers:
- 2,042 deaths (+51)
- 29,996 total cases (+323)
- 1,512 patients in hospitals (+10)
- 194 patients on ventilators (-36)
- 64 of 64 parishes reporting cases
- 20,316 presumed recoveries
- 188,231 tests performed (+7,300)
Key Updates:
- COVID-19 numbers continue the plateau in Louisiana as the state plans on a May 15 gradual reopening of the economy.
- The City of New Orleans expects to lose around $130 million this year in tax revenue due to event cancellations and business closures during the coronavirus pandemic.
- Public testing sites, food pantries and mask giveaway continue around Southeast Louisiana.
COVID-19 ventilator usage in La. drops below 200 for first time since March
Tuesday, May 5 represented a grim milestone in Louisiana's battle against the COVID-19 outbreak: More than 2,000 people dead from the virus across the state, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.
While the number of coronavirus-related deaths published daily by the LDH varies greatly because of reporting lag and other factors, it's a figure that experts and officials agree would be much higher without social distancing measures in place.
Still, there was another takeaway from Tuesday overshadowed by the fatalities, although somewhat connected: For the first time since March, the number of ventilators in use to treat COVID-19 patients in Louisiana has fallen below 200.
The number of ventilators available in the state was the issue at the forefront of the virus response, with Governor John Bel Edwards warning the state had been on track to run out of the life-saving respiratory machine by early April.
The peak use of ventilators did happen in early April, with 571 in use on April 4. The state, however, did not run out, and by mid-April the number of ventilators was the first metric to start consistently improving across the state.
Louisiana was able to increase their ventilator supply by thousands in the span of a few weeks, purchasing them from private vendors and receiving them from the national stockpile.
The last time the number was under 200 was on March 25, when it was at 163, before COVID-19 cases starting rocketing up.
As of Tuesday, all of the LDH's 9 regions in the state had well over 50% availability.
Louisiana barbershops, hair salons should reopen, La. AG urges governor
Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry is urging Governor John Bel Edwards to allow barbershops and hair salons to reopen under the state's coronavirus shutdown.
In a letter sent by the AG to Edwards Tuesday, Landry asked that the state's hair and beauty industry reopen ahead of the Stay at Home order's expiration on May 15, under "common-sense and reasonable guidelines" for safety.
The order was extended to mid-May last week.
"We have thousands of licensed cosmetologists in our State," Landry wrote. "These are real people with real families and real problems. Many are independent contractors who have no other source of income and are struggling to make ends meet."
Hair salons and barbershops have been shutdown since Louisiana's Stay at Home order was issued on March 22.
Blue Angels release map, schedule for New Orleans flyover
The Blue Angels, the Navy's elite flying squadron, have released the route for their flyover salute of New Orleans' front line workers battling the coroanvirus.
The Blue Angels sent out a Tweet Monday that indicated New Orleans would be one of the flyover cities on Wednesday, May 6, to "...salute and thank all healthcare workers, first responders and other essential personnel serving on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19."
On Tuesday, they released the route for their flyover. It's expected to last from 1:45 p.m. - 2:05 p.m. but times are subject to change.
It will begin at 1:45 p.m. The F-15 fighters will fly in from LaPlace and go over Avondale and Westwego. Then, they'll fly across the Mississippi River and directly across New Orleans, from Uptown to the end of New Orleans East.
Contracts, traffic cameras, buildings: 'Everything is on the table' to fill New Orleans' projected $130 million deficit
The City of New Orleans expects to lose around $130 million this year in tax revenue due to event cancellations and business closures during the coronavirus pandemic.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and Chief Administrative Officer Gilbert Montano laid out the current plan, including cost-cutting measures and borrowing $100 million to ensure public services are not shut down.
According to a presentation given to reporters, the city is currently preparing to address a $130 million budget shortfall.
“What we’re looking at right now is very similar to what New Orleans saw post-Katrina as far as GDP drop," Montano said, showing a timeline of the city's GDP over the past two decades.
New Orleans looks to extend eviction ban as landlords cry foul
Federal and local governments have taken strong steps to protect tenants who can’t pay rent during the coronavirus pandemic, including an all-out ban on evictions in New Orleans through May 18 and a federal ban that applies to all government-financed or subsidized units through July.
But what do landlords do when tenants take that as carte blanche to break the rules?
Kym Valene owns doubles and 4-plexes totaling 26 units in the gentrifying Upper Ninth Ward and Bywater. She said she’s lucky most of her tenants are still paying rent, but a few aren’t. And some feel emboldened to break the rules of their lease.
“I have a tenant with an illegal dog. My insurance won’t cover pit bulls. And I have no way to evict a tenant who isn’t paying attention to the rules and putting other tenants in danger,” Valene said. “I don’t understand how you can be forced to stay in a situation where it could be a danger to you, your insurance won’t cover it, I could lose my insurance and there’s nothing I can do about the situation.”
17-year-old's New York radio station supporting Louisiana's coronavirus fight
New Orleans healthcare workers are getting a helping hand from a 17-year-old and a radio station in New York City.
D-100, an internet radio station that broadcasts from One World Trade Center in New York City, recently raised $20,000 for healthcare workers in some of the places hardest hit by Covid-19 and have plans to keep the fundraising going for another few days, according to the radio station’s CEO, 17-year-old Dylan Carollo.
“Everyone is at home right now and more people are listening to my station than ever so we thought we should get involved in the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Carollo, speaking with WWL-TV’s Paul Dudley Monday night.
Carollo and others at the station came up with a pay to play fundraiser, where listeners pick a song at the station’s website.
Once they donate, the listener gets their song played on-air with the funds going to front line workers, including at Ochsner.
Grocers anticipate meat shortage as processing plants cut back operations
One of the trickle down effects of COVID-19 could be felt at the grocery store soon. Several large meat processing plants across the country have closed or cut back operations, because workers were either ill or too afraid to come in.
Right now, there is no shortage of poultry, pork or beef at Chris' Specialty Meats in New Orleans.
"We have a great relationship with our vendors and they're keeping us updated. We're doing the best to keep our shelves stocked and right now they are stocked," said Adam Cutrer, manager at Chris' Specialty Meats. "It's business as usual."
That's good news since some meat processing plants across the country like Tyson Foods closed because of sick employees.
Amid coronavirus challenges, local chefs, restaurants nominated for James Beard Awards
Although the restaurant industry is battling the severe challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, and many of the nominated restaurants are closed, Monday brought the news that several New Orleans restaurants are finalists for James Beard Awards.
The nominees were announced Monday by the James Beard Foundation, which also announced there will be no awards ceremony this year, as is tradition. Instead, winners will be revealed in a live online broadcast on Sept. 25.
Whittled down from a list of semifinalists announced earlier this year, the James Beard awards were originally slated to be presented today, May 4, at a gala event in Chicago.
New Orleans chef/restaurateur Donald Link is nominated for Outstanding Chef in the country, for the seventh year in a row. Also, his restaurant group's newest restaurant, Gianna, is nominated for best restaurant in America. The Link Restaurant Group's restaurant Peche is a past winner in this category.
Doctor treated with coronavirus antibodies recovers at home after hospitalization
One of the first people in the state to recover from COVID-19 after getting a transfusion of antibodies is finally well enough to talk about his experience.
That doctor, who practices at East Jefferson General Hospital, is now at home and doing well. He says he didn't know how sick he was until he read his own chart after he recovered.
Dr. Hector Montalvo was in the East Jefferson ICU, unconscious, on a ventilator from COVID-19. It was not known if he would live. That’s when a colleague, nephrologist Dr. Ashwin Jaikishen, donated his blood plasma. He had recovered from COVID-19 and had the antibodies to fight the virus.
Dr. Montalvo is back at home, practicing internal medicine, treating his patients by telemedicine. He says the way he views the world now is changed.
Tools
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. These symptoms may appear 2 to 14 days after exposure.
Worldwide illnesses have ranged from mild to severe, including severe pneumonia that can result in hospitalization or death.
Older people and people with underlying health conditions including heart disease, lung disease or cancer seem to be at greater risk of serious illness.
People with recent travel to China, or have come in contact with someone who has recent travel and is ill, have a greater risk for becoming ill.
What to do if you are sick:
If you recently traveled to an area affected by COVID-19 transmission, and you feel sick, stay home and call your doctor immediately. Do not go to the doctor without calling first.
If you have a fever, cough, or shortness of breath, call your primary care provider. If you do not have a primary care provider, call the Louisiana Department of Health hotline at 1-855-523-2652.
If you are severely ill and you think you need to go to the hospital, call 9-1-1 or go to an emergency room.
How to Prevent the Spread:
The virus is thought to spread between people in close contact (within 6 feet) and through droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
To prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Wash hands with soap and water often or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Especially wash hands after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Stay home if you feel sick to prevent the spread of germs.
- Cover your cough with your elbow to prevent the spread of germs.
Treatments for COVID-19:
There are no medications specifically approved for COVID-19. People with coronavirus should be treated with supportive care to help relieve symptoms.
Some severe cases require going to the hospital, particularly in the elderly or those with underlying medical conditions.
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