LA COVID CASES- Last Tuesday, Louisiana passed a grim pandemic milestone when the Louisiana Department of Health reported more than 3,000 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19. By Friday, the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients had decreased to 2,999 statewide. During his most recent Covid update, Governor John Bel Edwards announced there were more than 5900 new Covid infections along with 67 new Covid-related deaths. Of the recent Covid infections, Edwards expressed concern about the rising cases involving younger people.
"The cases that we're seeing in children 0 to age 18 is very troubling," Edwards said. "28% of all new cases reported are in children."
The rising number in pediatric Covid cases is causing concern among health care professionals considering a new school year is just beginning and children 12 and under are not yet eligible to be vaccinated against Covid.
"There were myths, misconceptions earlier on in the pandemic that kids don't get Covid, don't spread Covid; that couldn't be farther from the truth." said Dr. Joe Kanter, Medical Director for Louisiana's Department of Health.
Health experts stress that although Covid treatment methods have improved since the pandemic began, getting vaccinated is still the best way to avoid serious illness as more than 90% of those hospitalized are unvaccinated.
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