The latest on the spread of coronavirus in New Orleans and across Louisiana today, March 27.
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Orleans Parish Continues To Lead Nation In COVID-19 Death Rate
4:30 p.m.
County-level statistics from the New York Times continue to show COVID-19's disproportionate impact on New Orleans.
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RTA Waives Fares, Reduces Service
2:45 p.m.
Starting Sunday, transit services will be further reduced and fares will be waived indefinitely.
Many RTA routes will continue with reduced Saturday schedules, while others will be further reduced. Some will be suspended. This effects bus, streetcar and ferry services until further notice.
More details on route reductions and reduced transit fees can be found here.
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119 People Have Now Died Of COVID-19 In Louisiana — A 43 Percent Increase In 24 Hours
Noon
The death toll from COVID-19 rose dramatically Friday. Another 36 people in Louisiana have died from the illness caused by the coronavirus, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.
In all, 119 people are dead. Fifty-seven of them are in New Orleans.
The per-capita death rate in New Orleans, which we reported yesterday is by far the highest in the U.S., is now about 14.6.
The total number of known cases rose to 2,746 across the state and 1,1,70 in New Orleans.
There are 773 people hospitalized with COVID-19, and 270 of them are on ventilators. Yesterday, those numbers were 676 and 239, respectively.
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READ MORE: ‘This is absolutely frightening’: Louisiana Hospitals Brace For The Worst Of COVID-19
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The state lab has completed 2,476 tests, while commercial labs have completed 18,883 tests.
There are known cases of COVID-19 in 54 of Louisiana's 64 parishes. Jefferson Parish remains second-hardest hit, with 548 and 24 people dead. In Caddo, 140 people are known to be sick and two people are dead. In East Baton Rouge, those numbers are 124 and four, and in St. Tammany they're 111 and two.
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Cantrell On Mardi Gras: "No Red Flags Were Given"
9 a.m.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said she would have canceled Mardi Gras if officials had warned the city of a coronavirus risk in an appearance on CNN on Thursday night.
"No red flags were given," she told Wolf Blizter.
"If we were given clear direction, we would not have had Mardi Gras, and I wouldn've been the leader to cancel it."
"No red flags were given" by the federal government. - New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell on why the city moved forward with Mardi Gras celebrations. "If we were given clear direction we would not have had Mardi Gras and I would've been the leader to cancel it." pic.twitter.com/pAsEC5lMkz
— The Situation Room (@CNNSitRoom) March 26, 2020
Recent reports that New Orleans has the highest per-capita death rate from COVID-19 in the country have turned some national media attention to the city — most notably in the form of several stories identifying Mardi Gras as a hotbed for coronavirus spread:
New York Times: News Orleans Faces a Virus Nightmare, and Mardi Gras Might Be Why
CBS News: Mardi Gras might have fueled Louisiana coronavirus outbreak
NBC News: New Orleans is a center of coronavirus. Mardi Gras could be to blame, doctors say.
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Resources
New Orleans And Louisiana Resources For Anyone Out Of Work Because Of Coronavirus
Your Questions About Coronavirus, Answered
Drive-Through Testing Locations
How To Keep Calm And Carry On — And Laugh: Mental Health Advice From An Expert
Coronavirus Myths Busted, Questions Answered, And Anxieties (Maybe) Eased
Where To Get Takeout In New Orleans During The Coronavirus Shutdown: A Neighborhood Guide
The Centers for Disease Control And Prevention