According to the Louisiana Department of Health, the number of patients in the hospital with COVID has increased by 139 over the last week to 678. L-D-H reported 35-hundred more new cases yesterday and State Health Officer Doctor Joe Kanter says there are many more unreported because of positive cases confirmed through at-home tests
Cut 9 (08) “…being spread right now”
Kanter says this is Louisiana’s sixth COVID surge as the BA.4 and BA.5 variants are the dominant strains.

Qualifying for federal elections is next week as Republican John Kennedy is expected to sign up seeking a second term as a U-S Senator. But Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says there remains a lot of speculation Kennedy will run for governor next year…
cut 14 (10) “….decides to run”

Former Louisiana broadcaster, journalist and state lawmaker Ron Gomez has passed away. Kevin Gallagher has more on that…:
Cut 2 (34) “….I’m Kevin Gallagher.”