Delta variant now causing half La.'s new COVID cases

The more contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 is now accounting for nearly six of every 10 new coronavirus cases in Louisiana, the Governor’s Office said Friday.
The news came in a press release urging people to get vaccinated in time for upcoming drawings for cash prizes, an incentive to help Louisiana overcome its relatively low vaccination rate.
Nationally, as of last week, about 45% of Americans had completed their vaccination series, and 56% had received at least one dose.
Only about 36% of Louisiana adults are fully vaccinated. In St. Mary, the adult vaccination rate is 29%.
The low vaccination numbers have become a source of concern since the Delta variant was confirmed to have arrived in Louisiana two weeks ago.
The rate of new infections has remained low in Louisiana over that time. But COVID hospitalizations, which had dipped in the 200s, or about a 10th the number of hospitalizations during the winter’s third wave of infections, have climbed back to 372 as of Friday.
St. Mary, St. Martin and Lafourche are among eight parishes rated by the Louisiana Office of Public Health as being at “highest risk” for COVID infect.
New COVID infections are on the rise nationally as well, but at a far slower rate that during past surges. Delta is causing about 52% of new COVID cases across the United States.
State public health officials are hoping the Louisiana Shot At A Million drawings will persuade people to get coronavirus vaccinations.
“We saw a bump in vaccinations when we announced Shot At A Million,” said state Public Health Officer Dr. Joseph Kanter. “This is good news — we are now in the most challenging phase of the vaccine rollout to date, and this is now a game of inches.
“But we do need more residents to go sleeves up to protect themselves and their loved ones against this more contagious variant. Already more than 1.8 million Louisianans have taken their first dose of the COVID vaccine, which is safe, effective and widely available at locations across Louisiana at no cost to the public.”
The deadline was Friday for the first Shot At A Million drawing. The deadline for the Aug. 6 $1 million grand prize drawing will be July 31.
Upcoming deadlines:
—Enter by Friday for the July 21 drawing.
—Enter by July 23 for the July 28 drawing.
—Enter by July 30 for the Aug. 4 drawing.
Winners will be announced two days after the drawing to allow time to confirm vaccination status.