New COVID case count lower Friday in three local parishes

The number of new COVID-19 patients was relatively low Friday in St. Mary, St. Martin and Assumption parishes, according to the Louisiana Department of Health's midday report.

A total of 35 cases were reported, 23 of them in St. Mary, where 1,238 positives have now been reported since the pandemic began.

Five new cases in St. Martin raised the total there to 1,358. Assumption's new case count was higher than it has been recently but still low at seven for a total of 484.

No new deaths were reported locally, so the toll remains 40 in St. Mary, 34 in St. Martin and 18 in Assumption.

All 64 Louisiana parishes are now reporting a two-week average of more than 100 new cases per 100,000 residents, which federal public health officials define as a warning sign.The percentage of tests with positive results is still going up in St. Mary, but it's declining in St. Martin and Assumption.

Statewide:

--2,084 new cases raised the pandemic total to 103,734.

--29 new deaths raised that total to 3,605.

--The number of people in hospitals was up 15 to 1,600.

--The number of people on ventilators was unchanged at 197.