As COVID cases across the country are on the rise, comparatively Louisiana’s case rates have been steady for the past month. However, Assistant State Health Officer Dr. Joseph Kanter says there are two areas of the state that have health officials on alert, Central and Northeast Louisiana.
“Small increases that’s what folks are seeing up in the northeast and central part of the state right now. It’s not limited to there; we’re seeing it in the Shreveport area and Lake Charles area as well. It has us concerned,” said Kanter.
According to the health department Richland, Tensas, Caldwell, and Concordia parishes are showing increasing positivity rates.
Dr. Kanter says contract tracing in the state indicates outbreaks at religious services, high school football games, and small gatherings in backyards.
“Unfortunately, we’re seeing increases in all of those settings. So it’s a message to us that we need to maintain vigilance, even in the setting and amongst people that we’re most familiar with,” said Kanter.
Dr. Kanter says about 50-percent of people who have COVID have no idea they are infected because they show no symptoms, but they can still expose others.
“And when you’re thinking about gatherings, getting together with family, getting together with friends across any of the holidays coming up. That’s a risk to it that has to be accounted for,” said Kanter.
The state has been in Phase Three since mid-September. The reopening status and capacity limits are dependent upon the parish being at or below 5-percent for two weeks.
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