25 new COVID cases, two deaths reported Wednesday for St. Mary

Another 25 new COVID-19 cases and two COVID-related deaths were reported in St. Mary for the 24 hours ending at midday Wednesday.

The Louisiana Office of Public Health says 8,013 COVID cases have been reported in St. Mary since the pandemic began.

The two deaths raise the number of St. Mary COVID fatalities to 194, including 47 since the first local death connected to the fourth wave of coronavirus on Aug. 1.

Statewide, 3,066 new cases and 136 deaths were reported by the OPH Wednesday.

Hospitalizations continue to decrease. Louisiana hospitals were treating 1,895 COVID-positive patients Wednesday, down by 108 from Tuesday.

St. Mary's vaccination rate is now 34.8%, less than half the national rate of 75% reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.