The number of coronavirus cases shot up to 479 in Louisiana today. That’s up from 392 yesterday. Orleans Parish has 299, Jefferson has 90, Caddo 13 and St. Tammany 10. The state health department says a reported death at a St. Tammany parish hospital is a Mississippi resident. The number of Louisiana patients who have died is ten.

Governor John Bel Edwards warns Louisiana’s healthcare system could be overwhelmed within the next seven to ten days by COVID-19 cases without federal assistance. Edwards says the state’s trajectory of case growth is on the same path as Italy.
Cut 10 (10) “making that.”
Edwards is concerned about not having enough health care workers, hospital beds and ventilators.

The state Office of Behavioral Health has set up a hotline for residents who are dealing with high stress and anxiety levels as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The Keeping Calm Through COVID hotline is 1-866-310-7977. Medical Director for the Louisiana Office of Behavioral Health Doctor James Hussey says while we are all on alert for symptoms of the coronavirus, undue stress can also cause physical symptoms that many do not realize are side effects of anxiety…
cut 5 (12) “….if you will”

Stress levels are rising for crawfish farmers, who are seeing slow sales as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Vermilion Parish farmer Christian Richard urges people to buy crawfish…
cut 8 (10) “…to accommodate you”