OPH: 58 new COVID cases, one death in St. Mary in two days

The Louisiana Office of Public Health reported 58 new COVID-19 cases and another fatality in St. Mary Parish in the 48 hours ending at midday Friday.

The number of deaths is likely to go up by at least two more. St. Mary Parish Coroner Dr. Eric Melancon told reporters by text Thursday that the parish has had nine COVID-related fatalities in September, two more than have shown up in the daily OPH reports. Melancon has often reported deaths in St. Mary before the statistics have been entered in the state database.

The two additional deaths reported by the coroner would bring the total number of St. Mary fatalities to 197. Fifty parish residents died of COVID in 40 days since Aug. 1.
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The parish had 32 fatalities January through July and 41 in August alone, Melancon said.

The 58 new COVID cases raise the pandemic case count to 8,071.

Statewide, 2,173 new COVID cases and 64 deaths were reported for the 24 hours ending at midday Friday.

The number of people in Louisiana hospitals for COVID treatment continues to drop. The OPH said 1,755 people were hospitalized with the coronavirus Friday, down 140 from Wednesday.