UPDATED 7:09 P.M. Coroner says St. Mary COVID-19 death toll is 18

Two COVID-19 deaths that have yet to be reported in the Louisiana Office of Public Health daily totals raised St. Mary's death toll to 18, all in the last 13 days, Coroner Eric Melancon said in a text message Tuesday afternoon.

"State is a little behind because we had 2 in the last 24 hours," Melancon wrote.

The Coroner's Office has fielded 20 death reports in the last seven days, and 11 are COVID-19-related.

Across the parish, "it seems to be worsening but I expected an uptick due to the Easter Holiday and lack of compliance with social distancing," Melancon wrote.

Eight of the parish's COVID-19 deaths were among residents of the Legacy nursing facility in Franklin, where 31 residents had tested positive for the virus as of Monday, Melancon wrote.

Melancon said that contrary to rumor, the virus was carried into Legacy of Franklin by an employee who was not showing symptoms of COVID-19.

"We are still working on containment efforts but the facility is running short on PPE and staff," Melancon said. "Homeland Security as well as others are working to meet their needs as well as the needs of EMS and First Responders.

"I ask that people remain steadfast in their commitment to social distancing, hand washing, and Governor Edwards' 'stay at home' order.

"We will continue to work with local and parish officials with direction from the Department of Health and Governor Edwards ... to ensure the safety of the residents of SMP."

Four more COVID-19 positives reported by the OPH Tuesday to bring the total to 160 in St. Mary after 635 tests.

No new COVID-19 positives were reported in St. Martin, where the count remains at 193 after 713 tests. But another St. Martin death was reported, bringing that total to 13.

Five new COVID-19 cases were reported for Assumption after 194 tests. The death toll remained at one.

Statewide, the number of new cases Tuesday was a relatively low 331 for a total of 24,854 after more than 150,000 tests since the pandemic reached Louisiana. But another 77 deaths were reported Tuesday, pushing that total to 1,405. Four more people were hospitalized, raising the total to 1,798, while the number of people on ventilators fell five to 297.

Gov. John Bel Edwards' daily press briefings have recently included a caution that because the big majority of Louisiana COVID-19 tests are now performed by commercial labs, results tend to be reported more slowly over the weekend and on Mondays. Because of the lag between tests and the reporting of results, the numbers in the OPH daily reports may reflect positives and deaths that happened days earlier.

The number of statewide deaths reported Tuesday has been corrected.