It’s been a record breaking year for whooping (HOOP-ing) cough in Louisiana. Jeanne (“zhahn”) Burns reports.
Cut 1 (00) “…I’m Jeanne Burns.”
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Woodside Energy Group breaks ground on the 17.5 million dollar liquefied natural gas production and export facility it’s building in Calcasieu Parish. Colleen Crain has more…
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Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”
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It’s been a record-breaking year for whooping (HOOP-ing) cough, and we still have three and a half months to go. State Epidemiologist Theresa Sokol says through the first eight months of this year, Louisiana has confirmed 379 whooping cough cases.
Sokol says 61 people have been hospitalized with whooping cough this year, with 70-percent of them being under the age of one. Sokol says over the last couple months, cases have started to subside.
Cut 5 (15) “…even larger decrease.”
Sokol says part of the reason why we’ve had so many cases of whooping cough this year is because of increased awareness.
Cut 6 (14) “…are being detected.”
Sokol says the best way to prevent whooping cough is for expectant mothers to get vaccinated against the disease with each pregnancy.
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It’s a historic day for southwest Louisiana as state and local officials break ground on a 17.5 billion dollar LNG project that will be built and operated by Woodside Energy Group. The liquified natural gas production and export facility in Calcasieu is called Louisiana L-N-G. Calcasieu Parish Police Jury President Judd Bares says Louisiana LNG is expected to generate significant economic growth…
The state economic development department says the project will support thousands of jobs during the construction phase as well as thousands more once operational. Bares says Calcasieu is ready to supply the workforce…
Governor Landry says this is the largest single foreign direct investment in Louisiana history. Once operational in 2029, Louisiana LNG will produce up to 16.5 million metric tons of LNG per year. Louisiana already has four operational LNG export terminals. Barres says southwest Louisiana is the place for LNG because of all of the natural gas pipelines plus location…
The groundbreaking ceremony will be at around 10 AM.
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Tens of thousands of Louisiana Blue policyholders will soon be getting rebate checks in the mail. Mike Bertaut (BURR-tow), the senior healthcare economist with Louisiana Blue, says Louisiana Blue has been very proactive in holding the line on healthcare costs.
And since Louisiana Blue was successful in that regard, Bertaut says Louisiana Blue is required to rebate money back to eligible policyholders.
Bertaut says those who are eligible for a rebate are those who buy their policies directly from Louisiana Blue and not through an employer. He says that amounts to more than 113-thousand policyholders.
Eligible policyholders should be receiving their explanation letters soon, and their rebates should arrive sometime in the next few weeks.
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Cut 16 (14) “…pretty exciting.”
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