Tuesday COVID update for Avoyelles: four cases in 24 tests

Avoyelles Parish's Tuesday COVID update from the state was low in numbers -- only four new cases in 24 test results. However, for those focusing on the percent of positive tests, it could be seen to continue a negative trend over the past week.

With so few tests, it is unfair to consider percent positive results as a true picture of the presence of COVID in the community. In the previous two reports, on Friday and Monday, the parish had 927 tests with 42 new cases -- a positive rate of about 4.5 percent. The positive rate for the Tuesday report is 16.6 percent. Of those positives, three were in 13 lab tests, for a positive rate of 23 percent. There was one positive among 11 rapid result tests.

As of Tuesday, Avoyelles' 16-month pandemic totals were 4,421 cases and 125 deaths. The state's totals were 490,904 cases and 10,798 deaths.