83 people are dead from the state’s 2,305 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including a 17-year-old from New Orleans, the first minor to die from the coronavirus in Louisiana. Governor Edwards says it is a reminder that everyone is at risk.
“This virus knows no limits when it comes to age, race, gender, background, social status, whatever. It really doesn’t discriminate,” said Edwards.
Orleans Parish has the highest per capita death rate in the U.S.
Edwards continues the stress the importance of minimizing contact with others and says Louisiana is tied for second in the nation for per capita COVID infections.
“If we don’t flatten the curve and do it soon, we could be out of ventilators in Region 1, the New Orleans area, as early as April 2nd,” said Edwards.
Current projections show New Orleans running out of hospital bed space by April 7th. The Governor says his office is in the process of signing contracts to stage a makeshift hospital at the Morial convention center is planned to have 120 beds ready by end of the weekend, with 1120 in total sometime next week.
Edwards says just because someone may live outside of the New Orleans area does not mean COVID-19 isn’t any issue. The Governor referenced the recent uptick in numbers in Northwest Louisiana parishes as evidence.
“Think back. It wasn’t that long ago that those were the kind of numbers that we were seeing out of New Orleans and Jefferson Parish. So again, this illustrates that this is a statewide problem,” said Edwards.
Edwards says the focus remains on flattening the curve and calls on citizens to do better with social distancing and continue to avoid mass gatherings.
“People need to comply and if you have a pastor that is going to continue to have gatherings and services at church, then I’m calling upon the parishioners, the congregants, not to go,” said Edwards.
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