Three confirmed COVID fatalities, 21 new cases in local parishes

Three new COVID-related fatalities were reported in St. Mary and Assumption parishes in the 24 hours ending at midday Thursday. Those parishes plus St. Martin accounted for 21 new confirmed COVID-19 cases.

The Louisiana Office of Public Health also reported Thursday that hospitalizations due to COVID continue to fall.

St. Mary has two new confirmed COVID fatalities, raising the toll here to 104 confirmed with 11 probable. Ten new confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported in the parish, raising the pandemic total to 3,214 confirmed with 690 probable.

Another confirmed COVID-19 fatality was reported in Assumption, where the number of confirmed deaths is now 29 with three probable. Three more confirmed COVID cases were reported Thursday to bring the confirmed total to 1,485 with 520 probable.

St. Martin has eight new confirmed cases for a pandemic total of 4,283 with 388 probable. The death toll there remains at 98 confirmed with eight probable.

Statewide:

--2,758 new cases raise the pandemic total to 354,788 confirmed with 54,207 probable. The daily count Thursday included a backlog of 844 cases from urgent care centers that are new to reporting, the Office of Public Health said.

--38 new fatalities raise the toll to 8,453 confirmed with 591 probable.

--91 fewer COVID-positive people are in Louisiana hospitals, lowering the total to 1,295.

--18 fewer people are on ventilators for a total of 162.