3-27-20
Louisiana’s number of known coronavirus cases jumped 28% overnight. That prompted a stark warning from Gov. John Bel Edwards to his state’s residents to stay home. The Democratic governor says Louisiana is now tied for the nation’s second-highest rate of virus cases per capita. President Donald Trump has agreed to set up two federal field hospitals in Louisiana and send down public health staff to help with the worsening outbreak. Louisiana has surpassed 2,300 people known to be infected, with 86 residents dead from the virus.
LOCALLY IN LAFAYETTE PARISH THERE ARE NOW 30 CONFIRMED CASES, UP FROM TWENTY YESTERDAY, AND CALCASIEU PARISH HAS FIFTEEN CASES, INCLUDING ONE DEATH. ALLEN AND ST. LANDRY PARISHES HAVE FIVE CASES. ACADIA AND IBERIA PARISHES HAVE EACH ADDED ONE NEW CASE TO PUSH THEIR TOTAL TO THREE EACH. ST. MARTIN PARISH ALSO ADDED A NEW CASE AND IS NOW AT TWO CASES, WHILE VERMILLION PARISH HAS ITS FIRST CASE OF COVID-NINETEEN. STATEWIDE, THERE ARE 676 COVID-NINETEEN PATIENTS THAT HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED WITH 239 OF THEM ON RESPIRATORS.
YESTERDAY AT THE CAJUNDOME, ONE-HUNDRED-TWENTY-FIVE PEOPLE WERE SCREENED AND SEVENTY OF THOSE WERE TESTED FOR THE CORONAVIRUS. SCREENING AND TESTING WILL CONTINUE TODAY. DIABETES HAS BEEN REMOVED AS ONE OF THE HIGH RISK CATEGORIES TO BE SCREENED AND TESTED. THE LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT IS STILL ASKING PEOPLE TO CALL 3-1-1 TO BE PRESCREENED BEFORE GOING TO THE DOME AND, FOR THOSE LIVING OUTSIDE LAFAYETTE PARISH, YOU SHOULD CALL 534-TEST.
FIFTY PEOPLE WERE SCREENED FOR THE CORONAVIRUS DURING THE FIRST DAY OF TESTING YESTERDAY IN CALCASIEU PARISH. TESTING WILL RESUME AT BURTON COLISEUM NEXT TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY FROM NINE TO THREE-THIRTY EACH DAY. THE SCREENING SITE IS FOR CALCASIEU PARISH, AS WELL AS RESIDENTS IN JEFF DAVIS, CAMERON, ALLEN AND BEAUREGARD PARISHES. THE LOUISIANA NATIONAL GUARD HAS BEEN SENT TO HELP WITH THE SCREENING AT THE BURTON COLISEUM AND AT THE CAJUNDOME IN LAFAYETTE.
A NEW SCREENING SITE OPENED IN ERATH YESTERDAY AT ABBEVILLE GENERAL. IT WILL BE OPEN DAILY FROM TEN A-M TO NOON. YESTERDAY TWENTY-SIX PEOPLE WERE SCREENED AT THE SITE AND SEVENTEEN WERE TESTED FOR THE CORONAVIRUS. THERE WILL BE TWO NEW TESTING SITES IN CALCASIEU PARISH BEGINNING MONDAY…THE SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA CENTER FOR HEALTH SERVICES ON OPELOUSAS STREET IN LAKE CHARLES AND AT THE WEST CAL-CAM HOSPITAL IN SULPHUR.
THE ACADIA PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM IS RESUMING GRAB-AND-GO MEALS FOR CHILDREN BEGINNING ON MONDAY. THEY STOPPED THE PROGRAM THIS WEEK AFTER THE GOVERNOR ISSUED THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER. MEALS WILL BE HANDED OUT DAILY FOR CHILDREN EIGHTEEN AND UNDER BETWEEN ELEVEN AND TWELVE-THIRTY AT FIVE SCHOOLS: CROWLEY MIDDLE, ARMSTRONG MIDDLE, CHURCH POINT ELEMENTARY, IOTA HIGH AND ESTHERWOOD ELEMENTARY. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAD A MODIFIED MEAL PLAN APPROVED BY THE STATE WHERE THE FOOD ITEMS ARE INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED.
THE TOP STITCH SEWING SCHOOL IN LAFAYETTE HAD TO CLOSE ITS DOORS RECENTLY BECAUSE OF THE CORONAVIRUS, BUT INSTRUCTOR SUZETTE RUSSON HAS STAYED BUSY MAKING MASKS FOR MEDICAL STAFFS. SHE STARTED DOING IT WHEN HER SON, A DOCTOR IN BOGALUSA ASKED HER TO MAKE THE MASKS. SHE PRODUCED 72 OF THEM AND HER SON SAID THEY WORK WELL. RUSSO TELLS KLFY TV SHE’S NOT DONE AND THE NEXT BATCH WILL BE IMPROVED BECAUSE SHE’S ADDING PIECES OF DISMANTLED AIR CONDITIONER FILTERS TO HER NEW MASKS TO BETTER PROTECT DOCTORS.
MELVILLE MAYOR VELMA HENDRIX IS PUSHING TO CONTINUE THEIR MONTHLY FOOD DRIVE, BUT POLICE CHIEF ANTHONY MOREAUX SAYS IT’S A VIOLATION OF THE GOVERNOR’S ORDERS TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS. MOREAUX SAYS THE FOOD DRIVE IS CANCELED BECAUSE HE WILL NOT GO AGAINST THE GOVERNOR’S ORDERS. HENDRIX SAYS THEY ARE LOOKING AT A FOOD DRIVE THAT WORKS AS A DRIVE THRU WHERE PEOPLE DON’T LEAVE THEIR VEHICLES AND THEY PUT THEIR INFORMATION ON THE DASHBOARD. CITY OFFICIALS ARE HOPING TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT SO THEY CAN CONTINUE PROVIDING FOOD FOR THEIR CITIZENS.
