Avoyelles weekly positive rate jumps to 6 percent

Avoyelles Parish was hit with another double-digit increase in the number of newly identified COVID-19 cases, but made it through another day with no additional deaths from the persistent virus.

As of Wednesday's report, the Louisiana Department of Health said there had been 2,171 cases of COVID in the parish since March. Of that number, 2,066 were identified with a molecular test and are called "confirmed" while 105 tested positive on an antigen test and are still classified as "probable." There had been 68 deaths -- 66 confirmed and two probable.

The parish also got an update on the state's two-week positive rate report. For 11/12-18 the rate was 5.0. For 11/19-25 it was 6.0.

That report appears to confirm what state and parish health officials have said -- COVID is surging statewide and in this parish.

Statewide the total number of COVID cases during the pandemic is 241,335 and the number of deaths is at 6,501. More than 200,000 of those infected by the disease have recovered, the LDH said.