Nine COVID deaths reported in three local parishes Wednesday

The 24 hours ending at midday Wednesday saw one of the biggest one-day totals for COVID-19 deaths so far in St. Mary, St. Martin and Assumption.

A total of nine deaths -- five in St. Mary, three in St. Martin and one in Assumption -- were reported for the Tuesday-Wednesday period by the Louisiana Office of Public Health.

The new fatalities pushed the number of deaths since the pandemic began over 100: 47 in St. Mary, 40 in St. Martin and 19 in Assumption.

Statewide, the 69 deaths reported Wednesday also showed an increase over recent totals. But hospitalizations were down in Louisiana.

No notice that backlogged cases were included with the new numbers that appeared on the OPH website Wednesday, which has been the case when daily numbers were inflated by the entry of older positives.

But "they are late in reporting," St. Mary Coroner Dr. Eric Melancon said in a text message Wednesday.

"Most are isolated cases that died outside the parish."

More St. Mary deaths that have already occurred have yet to show up in the state statistics. The Coroner's Office count shows 51 COVID deaths with test results pending on another.

In St. Mary, 20 new cases raised the total since the pandemic began to 1,342.

In St. Martin, 11 new cases raised the total to 1,453.

Six new Assumption cases made that parish's total 521.

The total of 37 cases in the three parishes are about one-third the highest one-day case counts from the last few weeks.

Statewide:

--1,735 new cases raised the pandemic total to 112,773.

--The 69 deaths raise the toll to 3,769.

--The number of people in hospitals dropped by 39 to 1,544.

--The number of people on ventilators was up seven to 221.