Local, statewide COVID-19 cases continue upward trend

The trend in new COVID-19 cases across the state and in St. Mary, St. Martin and Assumption parishes continues to rise sharply, according to figures released at midday Tuesday by the Louisiana Office of Public Health.

In St. Mary, where the number of new cases each day has often been in single digits beginning in late summer, 23 cases confirmed by PCR tests were reported Tuesday, raising the pandemic total to 2,163. Another 76 cases are rated as probable based on the less sensitive antigen tests.

Thirty-six new confirmed cases were reported in St. Martin, where the pandemic total is now 2,467. Another 29 cases are listed as probable.

Assumption has seven new confirmed cases for a total of 888, plus 48 probable cases.

No new fatalities were reported Tuesday, so the death tolls remain 89 confirmed deaths and five probable in St. Mary; 65 confirmed deaths with five probable in St. Martin; and 24 confirmed deaths with one probable in Assumption.

Statewide:

--2,592 new confirmed cases raise the total to 199,659. The state has recorded another 8,026 probable cases..

--17 new fatalities raise the confirmed death toll to 5,916 with another 240 deaths listed as probably COVID-related.

--56 more COVID-positive people were in hospitals, raising that total to 874. The number of people in hospitals for COVID treatment has risen by 210 since Nov. 3.

--11 more people are on ventilators for a total of 92.