The state reports 4,700 new COVID cases today and hospitalizations are up 135 to 1,524. State officials say the majority of those in the hospital with COVID are unvaccinated. The state’s positivity rate has reached 13.2-percent. The last time it was this high was December of 2020.
As case numbers surge, so are hospitalizations, but when you compare the number of patients in Louisiana facilities to high numbers in the pandemic last year it doesn’t seem as dire. However, State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says hospitals are facing a severe nursing shortage now and facilities are treating other patients in addition to COVID patients.
According to the Advocate newspaper, five members of Louisiana’s Congressional delegation say they have been vaccinated for the coronavirus. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise received his first dose of a two-dose vaccine last week. Scalise says he waited to get the vaccine because he tested for the immunities of COVID
Louisiana has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country.
Starting on August 9th, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will begin accepting applications from Louisiana fishermen and others in the industry who incurred economic revenue losses greater than 35-percent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Wildlife and Fisheries biologist Jason Froeba says they have 12-million dollars in financial assistance available…
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Applications are available on the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries website