NEW ORLEANS — The White House Coronavirus Task Force says Louisiana is experiencing a resurgence of COVID-19 and that current mitigation efforts are “inadequate,” according to a report released on Thursday.
The task force says the state is seeing rising test positivity, cases and hospitalizations from the virus.
The three parishes with the highest number of new cases in the last three weeks are Caddo, East Baton Rouge and Ouachita parishes which represent 22.8 percent of new cases in Louisiana.
“Current mitigation efforts are inadequate and must be increased to flatten the curve to sustain the health system for both COVID and non-COVID emergencies,” the report says.
On Thursday, the Louisiana Department of Health reported an additional 2,052 new cases and 15 deaths from the virus. Hospitalizations in the state rose to 929, the seventh straight day of rising hospitalizations and the highest level since late August.
The task force recommends increased proactive, focused testing as well as inclusive mask wearing, physical distancing and hand hygiene.
The report says Louisiana has seen an 80 percent increase in new COVID-19 cases and 20 percent increase in COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 people compared to the previous week
The report adds that new hospital admissions in Louisiana are increasing, especially for those over the age of 40. There are also early signs of reduced personal protective equipment supply at some hospitals.
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