A 17-year-old New Orleans boy who tested positive for the novel coronavirus has died, state officials said.

The teenager's death was among 18 new COVID-19 fatalities reported in an update from the Louisiana Department of Health on Thursday.

According to the Orleans Parish Coroner's Office, while the youth had contracted COVID-19 before dying on Sunday, the cause of his death remained under investigation.

Louisiana coronavirus cases increase to 2,305; Orleans, Jefferson cases account for 63% The number of known coronavirus cases in Louisiana increased to 2,305 on Thursday, up 510 cases from Wednesday and now on a pace to double eve…

The teenager is the first person younger than 36 with COVID-19 to die in Louisiana. As of Thursday, there had been at least 83 deaths in the state from COVID-19, with the victims ranging between 17 and 98 years old.

For the most part, health experts say, COVID-19 spares children its worst effects, but some of them can fall critically ill from the disease.

A new study of over 2,100 children with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases in China showed that while most had no symptoms or mild or moderate symptoms, about 6% had severe symptoms. Only one of the children in the study, a 14-year-old boy, died, though some remained hospitalized.

Children stricken with COVID-19 during the global pandemic frequently contracted the illness from a family member.

Los Angeles officials on Wednesday reported what was believed to be the first case in the country where a child who tested positive for COVID-19 had died. However, according to media reports, officials said the California teen's death would require additional investigation because "the case was complex and there may be an alternate explanation for this fatality."

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards on Thursday said he was unsure whether any underlying health conditions made the New Orleans teen particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.

"But it does illustrate the point that everyone is at risk," said Edwards, who issued a statewide, stay-at-home order that took effect Monday. "Some percentage, regardless of age and their health ... are at risk of having serious, severe complications. That includes deaths."

Edwards added, "Nobody should assume this disease will not severely impact them or have the potential to kill them."

Louisiana health officials said 2,305 known COVID-19 cases had been reported in the state as of noon Thursday. That was an increase of 510 from Wednesday. As of Thursday, 676 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized, and 239 required ventilators.

The New Orleans area remains the center of Louisiana's outbreak, with Orleans, Jefferson and St. Tammany parishes accounting for 1,544 cases and 59 of the deaths in the state.

Staff writers Emily Woodruff and Orlando Flores Jr. contributed to this report.

Are you a patient with coronavirus in Louisiana? We want to hear your story Are you a patient or a family member of a patient with coronavirus? We want to hear about your experience with care, billing, treatments and w…