Avoyelles Wednesday COVID update: 79 cases, 4 deaths

It looks like 2020 wanted to go out with a bang, delivering Avoyelles Parish its worst single-day report of the nine-month COVID-19 pandemic. The Wednesday noon update from the state health department reported 79 new cases -- 47 confirmed by molecular tests and 32 diagnosed by rapid-result antigen tests. There were also four additional deaths -- three of COVID patients "confirmed" by molecular tests and one who had been diagnosed with an antigen test.

Wednesday was also the largest single pool of antigen test results, with 115. There were 203 molecular test results.

As of Wednesday, Avoyelles' pandemic totals 2,656 cases (2,444/212) and 90 deaths (86/4). Statewide there had been 311,229 cases (282,148/29,081) and 7,448 deaths (7,078/370).

The parish also received bad news on its official weekly positive rate. The state had adjusted the rate for 12/10-12/16 to 5.9 percent. The rate for 12/17-12/23 increased to 7.0 percent. That rate does not include results of antigen tests, which are considered "probable" for COVID due to the possibility of some false positive results. In Wednesday's results, 23 percent of molecular and 28 percent of antigen tests were positive.

The state also had a higher than usual number of new cases with a combined total of 6,754 and 51 deaths since the Tuesday report. It's combined positive rate of molecular and antigen tests was almost 13 percent.

Dr. David Holcombe, medical director/administrator for the Department of Health's Central Louisiana region, said the higher numbers reflect the impact of pre-Christmas socializing.

"Expect another similar increase in early January, due to Christmas gatherings," Holcombe said.

Holcombe said the antigen tests are being more widely used, which he said is a good thing. The state distributed about 250,000 in central Louisiana. They are supposed to be used only on people exhibiting symptoms, but Holcombe said he suspects some providers are also allowing them to be used for screening purposes.

"I believe what you are seeing in this increase in numbers are people who had a family gathering during the Thanksgiving to Christmas period and said to themselves, 'I better get tested,'" he said.

Holcombe noted the recent death of Congressman-elect Luke Letlow shows the disease is not just a threat to the elderly and ill and that it is potentially deadly.

"I have to urge everyone to keep wearing your masks, observe social distancing whenever possible and when the vaccine is available, take it," Holcombe said. "I am being told the vaccine may be available in January for persons 70 and older."