Four more St. Mary COVID deaths reported Wednesday

COVID-19 has claimed four more St. Mary lives, according to the Louisiana Office of Public Health report for the 24 hours ending at midday Wednesday.

Elsewhere in Louisiana, a child who had yet to see a first birthday died of COVID-related causes, the first death of a child so young in the fourth COVID wave, the Governor's Office said Wednesday.

The rate of COVID deaths in August has surpassed anything seen during the 16 months since the first St. Mary fatality was reported. Of the 184 St. Mary COVID deaths since April 2020, 37 have been reported since Aug. 1, and nine deaths have been reported in the last two days.

The number of new cases each day has slowed. Sixty-six new cases were reported Wednesday, raising the pandemic total to 7,702.

Statewide, 6,610 new cases were in Wednesday's report along with 110 deaths.

But for the third time in the last four daily reports, the number of COVID-positive people in Louisiana hospitals fell. The OPH says 2,844 COVID patients were in hospitals Wednesday, down 12 from Tuesday.

The news about the infant's COVID death "is heartbreaking,” said. Dr. Joseph Kanter, state health officer. “And it’s a tragic reminder that the numbers we report everyday are also our children, friends and neighbors, and that no one is immune to this virus’ impact.

"The best way we can protect ourselves, our loved ones and young children who are not eligible to get the vaccine is to get vaccinated ourselves and wear a mask. It’s really that simple.”

“Each COVID-19 death in Louisiana has been heart wrenching," Gov.John Bel Edwards said, "but the loss of such a young child, who could not be vaccinated yet, is tragic and a stark reminder of the difficult circumstance we are in throughout Louisiana. Right now, we are seeing younger people hospitalized. They are getting sicker than in the previous surge and, unfortunately some of them may die."

This week 6,146 COVID cases in children have been confirmed, and last week there were 63 pediatric cases of COVID admitted to the hospital. Even children who are not hospitalized or very sick are contagious, Edwards said

A child this young has not died from COVID in Louisiana in more than six months. In total, 11 children younger than 18 have died from COVID in Louisiana. On Wednesday, 31% of newly reported COVID-19 cases in Louisiana were in children younger than 18.