Region struggles with COVID, post-Christmas uptick anticipated
The Lincoln Parishinclusive public health Region 8 is not doing well in its current battle with COVID-19 and should brace for a post-Christmas surge, region Administrator Jeff Toms said Thursday.
Toms’ assessment came on the same day Gov. John Bel Edwards once again urged Louisianans to refrain from traditional holiday travel and family gatherings.
“I’m imploring people to be very, very careful,” Edwards said during a press conference in Baton Rouge.
The state remains in the third surge of COVID-19, one that on Thursday pushed hospitalizations to an eightmonth high. Some 1,602 COVID patients were in hospitals, the largest number since May 1.
Patients on ventilators stood at 169, up two cases from the day before. In Region 8, 33 people were on ventilators.
Meantime, the number of both local COVID cases and deaths continues to rise. LDH is reporting a total of 2,536 confirmed cases in Lincoln Parish since the pandemic began and now 64 deaths.
That’s an increase of 25 cases and two deaths since Wednesday.
Toms said the availability of hospital beds across the 12-parish region is in “about as bad a shape as it’s been” since the start of the pandemic nine months ago.
As of Thursday, 170 people regionwide remained hospitalized with confirmed cases of the potentially fatal virus. Numbers for Ruston’s Northern Louisiana Medical Center were unavailable late Thursday afternoon; however, as of earlier in the week, hospitalizations had increased locally as well.
The region is also seeing an uptick in COVID patients in intensive care units, Toms said. Ninety-nine ICU beds were in use Thursday regionwide, according to the Louisiana Department of Health. That number includes all ICU hospitalizations, not just COVID patients.
Health officials say they’re concerned about the mounting number of hospitalizations not only because of bed space, but also from a staffing standpoint. While a number of Region 8 facilities may have space, they don’t have staff for additional patient care, Toms said.
Among the reasons: Some of the staff have COVID, and others are quarantined because of exposure in their families.
Much of the current surge, including the post-Thanksgiving case increases, has been attributed to gatherings of friend and families.
“The issue is from congregate settings as much as community,” Toms said.
Both state and local officials continue to urge people to wear masks, practice social distancing and wash their hands frequently. Louisiana remains under a modified Phase 2 order until Dec. 23.
Edwards backed the state down from Phase 3 in November, as COVID cases and hospitalizations rose. The governor is expected to address the current order next week.
