Louisiana’s health department recorded 1,356 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, its highest day of positive COVID-19 cases since April 7. The number is striking, but it adds to recent trends showing rising cases and hospitalizations in the state.
The numbers come one day after Gov. John Bel Edwards said the state would stay in Phase 2 for another 28 days, based on the worrying data.
The health department said the majority of tests for which results were reported today were collected between June 15 and June 23. Of those cases, it attributed 95 percent to community spread.
The percent of tests that came back positive — the key metric to distinguish whether there is more virus, or simply more testing — was 7.42 percent. That’s the highest rate since May 24.
The state reported another 17 people dead. The current case total is 51,595, while deaths have hit 3,021.
This story will be updated.
Correction: An earlier version of this article included an incorrect percent of tests that came back positive.
