NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana’s coronavirus death toll climbed toward 900 Monday, but the pace of deaths continued to show signs of tapering and hospitalizations stayed on their fractional increase track.
As of noon Monday, 884 deaths had been attributed to COVID-19, a jump of 44 people from Sunday’s total. That means the grim daily count, which had been moving at a more than 70 people per day clip early last week has now increased by less than 45 two days in a row.
The number of hospitalizations, another closely watched stat to track the virus’ path, crept up to 2,134, an increase of just 50 people, while the percentage of those who need ventilators held steady at 21%.
Since first infecting people in Wuhan, China, last year, the novel coronavirus has swept across the world. Louisiana has been particularly hard-hit by the virus and for a time vied with New York for the unenviable crown of most infections per capita.
While the virus finally appeared in all 64 parishes here for the first time over the weekend, it has remained concentrated in New Orleans and pockets of adjoining Jefferson Parish.
The state now releases background information on deaths attributed to the virus once a week, but those have consistently shown that African-Americans, who comprise a majority of people in the hardest-hit areas, account for 70% of fatalities. Health conditions from hypertension and diabetes to obesity and kidney disease have also been prevalent, with the first of those hurting two-thirds of those dying.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.