Avoyelles has better COVID figures in Friday's update

Friday's numbers were better in the COVID update for Avoyelles Parish. The number of tests reviewed was higher and the number of positive results in those tests was lower than in most recent updates from the state health department. That led to a one-day snapshot positive rate of 1.9 percent overall -- 9 out of 464. That was only 1.1 percent in the 440 lab tests but 16.6 percent for the four positives out of 24 rapid result tests.

The COVID totals for Avoyelles as of Friday were 4,528 infections and 127 deaths since the pandemic began in March 2020. The totals for the state were 512,843 cases and 10,900 deaths. If the recent rate of deaths continues, the state could top 11,000 fatalities by the end of the month or in early August.

Deaths are continued to rise as hospitalizations around the state increase. As of Friday there were 1,008 COVID patients in hospitals with 82 on ventilators.