Governor John Bel Edwards said Louisiana is among the top states in the country - per capita - with coronavirus cases.

NEW ORLEANS — UPDATE: The State of Louisiana reports first death related to COVID-19. The Orleans Parish resident was a 58-year-old individual with underlying health conditions. The patient was being treated at Touro Infirmary Hospital and Medical Center.

"It is with heavy hearts that we announce the first Louisiana death related to COVID-19 today,” said Gov. Edwards. “I have spoken with Mayor LaToya Cantrell, and we send our prayers and condolences to the family of the deceased. In addition, we now have 10 new presumptive positive cases bringing our total to 77. Now more than ever, we must remain vigilant against the spread of this illness by taking care of ourselves and each other, avoiding going into public areas if you are sick, practicing social distancing and washing your hands frequently with soap and water. This underscores the fact that those with underlying health issues are most at risk from the coronavirus. Those with compromised immune systems and are older should be taking extra precautions to avoid becoming affected with the coronavirus.”

The Louisiana Department of Louisiana has reported 10 additional presumptive positive cases for coronavirus in Louisiana, which now brings the total to 77. Updates can be seen at ldh.la.gov/Coronavirus.

Mayor Cantrell reacts

"We were deeply saddened, but sadly not surprised, to get confirmation today of the first fatality attributed to COVID-19 in the state of Louisiana,” said Mayor Cantrell. "As we know, particular sectors of our community are acutely at risk for serious symptoms that may ultimately prove fatal. We are taking every action to protect and to inform these vulnerable populations, and we encourage our healthy residents to bear in mind the potential cost of the virus' spread. This is a tragic development, but not an unforeseen one. I call on all of our residents to keep the victim’s family in their prayers, and to continue doing everything possible to prevent further spread."

Cases more than double

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards announced Saturday late afternoon that the case number had jumped to 77 with the first death being recorded - a patient in a New Orleans hospital who had underlying conditions.

The number of cases reported more than doubled from 36 Friday to 77 Saturday, with the number expected to grow.

Edwards said that puts Louisiana near the top of the nation per capita in coronavirus cases and the governor said the number of cases continues jump.

“We’re seeing the numbers rise rapidly, which is what we anticipated would happen,” Edwards said. “We know we have a relatively high number of cases based on our population.”

Edwards confirmed during the press conference that the state legislature would continue its 2020 session unless conditions changed.

CDC confirms cases

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed two of Louisiana's Covid-19 cases, according to the information released by the state Saturday.

Before, all of Louisiana's cases had been listed as "presumptive positive," meaning that while initial tests had come back positive, the samples still had to be sent to the CDC for final testing.

Gov. John Bel Edwards said earlier this week that all presumptive positive tests would be treated as positive because there has not been a false positive in the U.S. since the outbreak began.

Coach Orgeron makes video

Perhaps the most popular and well-known resident in Louisiana right now - LSU football coach Ed Orgeron, has made a public service announcement about the coronavirus.

Bayou Segnette prepares to host overflow coronavirus patients

Bayou Segnette State Park is being closed and prepared in case it needs to host an overflow of coronavirus patients.



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St. John update

After a St. John the Baptist Parish resident returned a presumptive positive Covid-19 result, Parish president Jaclyn Hotard addressed the incident in a press conference.

"The resident is currently being treated in another parish," Hotard said.

In response to the virus' spread into the parish, she announced a set of new measures being taken to prevent further infection.

She said a curfew was being enacted by the St. John Parish Sheriff's Office starting Saturday night.

After 10 p.m., no minors are allowed on the streets in the parish.

Parish government buildings were also being cleaned thoroughly, she said.

"We have heightened disinfecting procedures at all parish facilities and high traffic areas within parish government," Hotard said.

51 cases

The number of cases jumped from 36 presumptive positive results Friday to 51 Saturday, but no deaths have been reported from the disease in Louisiana, according to state data.

The updated information from the Louisiana Office of Public Health added two parishes to the list where cases have been confirmed and removed two that had been on the list. Eight parishes are listed as positive for coronavirus.

Bossier and St. John the Baptist parishes were added to the list of parishes with confirmed Covid-19 cases. But Laforuche and St. Bernard parishes were removed from the list. The reason why wasn't clear Saturday morning.

What you need to know about COVID-19:

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. These symptoms may appear 2 to 14 days after exposure.

Worldwide illnesses have ranged from mild to severe, including severe pneumonia that can result in hospitalization or death.

Older people and people with underlying health conditions including heart disease, lung disease or cancer seem to be at greater risk of serious illness.

People with recent travel to China, or have come in contact with someone who has recent travel and is ill, have a greater risk for becoming ill.

What to do if you are sick:

If you recently traveled to an area affected by COVID-19 transmission, and you feel sick, stay home and call your doctor immediately. Do not go to the doctor without calling first.

If you have a fever, cough, or shortness of breath, call your primary care provider. If you do not have a primary care provider, call the Louisiana Department of Health hotline at 1-855-523-2652.

If you are severely ill and you think you need to go to the hospital, call 9-1-1 or go to an emergency room.

How to Prevent the Spread:

The virus is thought to spread between people in close contact (within 6 feet) and through droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses:

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

Wash hands with soap and water often or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Especially wash hands after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.

Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

Stay home if you feel sick to prevent the spread of germs.

Cover your cough with your elbow to prevent the spread of germs.

Treatments for COVID-19:

There are no medications specifically approved for COVID-19. People with coronavirus should be treated with supportive care to help relieve symptoms.

Some severe cases require going to the hospital, particularly in the elderly or those with underlying medical conditions.

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