Governor makes another plea to stay home, take care

On the deadliest day yet in Louisiana's fight against COVID-19, Gov. John Bel Edwards implored state residents again to cooperate with social distancing and hygiene guidance to avoid overwhelming hospitals.

"If we're going to flatten the curve," Edwards said in a live-streamed press conference Friday, "if we're going to lessen the burden on the health care system, if we're going to save lives, we have to have full cooperation from all Louisianians, and we have to have it now. Because quite frankly, we don't have much longer to wait. April 2 is coming up sooner that we would like."

That's the date when statistics suggest the spread of the virus could overwhelm health care resources in Region I, the area around New Orleans.

Louisiana has sought 12,000 ventilators from a federal strategic reserve and to date has received 192.

"The trajectory we're on now will take us to a place where we don't want to be," Edwards said.

Louisiana Office of Public Health numbers on new COVID-19 infections showed a 19% increase from Thursday, which is slower growth than reported Thursday.

But 36 deaths were reported between noon Thursday and noon Friday. That was double the one-day deaths reported Thursday.

"There's no way to spin it or misinterpret it," Edwards said. "We have 119 deaths."

Among the fatalities, 41% have been diabetic, 31% suffered from kidney disease and 28% were obese.

Edwards said people can help avoid a sharp spike in new hospitalizations that could over-fill hospitals by washing their hands with soap and water frequently and for 20 seconds, practicing social distancing and staying at home.

Edwards said Delta Airlines has offered to fly out-of-state health care volunteers to Louisiana for free. People can sign up for their credentials at lava.dhh.la.gov.

Edwards said that contrary to rumors, the state has no plans to close roads or bridges.