BATON ROUGE, La. (KTAL/KMSS) — Gov. John Bel Edwards held a media briefing on Louisiana’s response to COVID-19 on Thursday afternoon as the Omicron variant continues to sweep across the state and one day after extending the public health emergency another month.
In the press conference, Governor John Edwards addressed COVID-19 and a storm advisory for Southeast Louisiana.
“I am tired of talking about weather events and storms and COVID, but just because we are tired doesn’t mean the problems go away, said Edwards.
The Louisiana Department of Health gave an update on COVID numbers.
According to LDH, 23 hundred people are in hospitals right now and 37 new covid related deaths were reported today.
This past week 33 kids were admitted to the hospital with COVID, according to Dr.Joseph Kanter. 0-4 years old represent the largest share of the percentage of children with COVID.
“Although the first signs of a peak in the fifth surge of COVID-19 appear to be present, the Omicron variant remains a significant threat to the people of Louisiana,” the proclamation signed Wednesday reads, “and it remains vital that the people of this state follow the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) which include: staying home and isolated when symptomatic, observing quarantine and isolation standards, and masking in public places in areas of high transmission.”
The emergency health order will remain in effect through February 16.
The Louisiana Department of Health reported 14,706 new coronavirus cases Thursday and 37 new deaths.
The LDH says the state is seeing increased reinfections with the continued rapid spread of the Omicron variant, noting the new cases reported Thursday include 1,875 reinfections. Reinfections are defined as a positive viral COVID-19 test in an individual with a previous positive test at least 90 days prior.
The state is also reporting 2,367 COVID hospitalizations as of Thursday. Of those patients, the state health department says 72 percent are unvaccinated and 142 are on ventilators.
“We have to work together to get out of this surge. LDH strongly recommends getting vaccinated and boosted if eligible, masking indoors as well as outside when distancing is not possible, and limiting your exposure to those not in your household,” the LDH said in a statement posted to Facebook early Thursday afternoon.
Louisiana on Tuesday passed the one-million mark in cumulative COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic in 2020 over the long Martin Luther King holiday weekend, a milestone Edwards called “sobering.”
As of Thursday, a total of 15,283 people in Louisiana have died from COVID-19.
Edwards also touched on a weather advisory.
According to the National, Weather Service, freezing temps lower windchill and low amounts of precipitation are expected late tonight and into the morning warned Edwards.
Although power outages aren’t expected, Edwards urges residents to look after one another, especially elderly neighbors.
There may be local closures for schools announced Gov Edwards.
He urged people to be weather aware and be careful on roads.
