Hospitals are prepping to endure a wave of COVID-19 cases in the coming weeks as the peak of the epidemic in Louisiana appears just around the corner. Ochsner Health chief Warner Thomas says many of those who get sick in the coming days will have to go to the hospital, and many will need to go to the ICU. 85-percent of their COVID patients in the ICU are on ventilators. He believes they are in a decent position when it comes to personal protective equipment
Per the last update yesterday at noon 490 Louisianans with COVID are on ventilators.
A nurse at New Orleans East Hospital becomes the state’s first healthcare worker to die after testing positive for COVID-19. Larrice Anderson passed away on Wednesday. Executive Director of the Louisiana State Nurse’s Association Thea Ducrow says the death sends a shockwave through the nursing community.
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Governor Edwards warns the noon update in total positive COVID-19 cases totals is likely to be jarring for many, and numbers will far exceed what we have seen so far from any day to day updates. He cautions that the jump in cases is not necessarily a reflection of the current situation, but a clearing of a substantial log jam of cases that have built up in private labs over the past week or more.
Over the next three weeks, the IRS will drop money from the $2.2 trillion emergency relief bill into the bank accounts of Americans. Kevin Barnhart has the story.