Hospitalizations, ventilators in use both decreased in Friday’s state COVID update

Published 12:10 pm Friday, August 20, 2021

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The Louisiana Department of Health reported fewer COVID-19 hospitalizations and ventilators in use, in its update released Friday at noon.

The LDH reported Friday that there were 2,999 COVID patients in hospitals, and 470 of those patients were on ventilators. In Thursday’s report, there were 3,013 hospitalizations and 476 ventilators in use.

The state reported 67 new deaths Friday, bringing the total to 11,918 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic in March of 2020. There were 58 new deaths reported Thursday.

Also Friday, the LDH reported 5,922 new cases of COVID, bringing the total cases reported since the start of the pandemic to 649,915. There were 5,550 new cases reported Thursday.

LDH officials also reported that non-fully-vaccinated residents made up 89 percent of the cases reported from Aug. 5 through Aug. 11, and 80 percent of the deaths in that same time period. In addition, 91 percent of current COVID hospitalizations are patients who are not fully vaccinated, according to the LDH.

Since the start of the pandemic, Washington Parish has reported 6,581 cases and 161 deaths.

The LDH releases an update every weekday at noon, online at ldh.la.gov/coronavirus.