COVID in Avoyelles: 81 new cases over the weekend, another death on Tuesday

Monday was another stomach-wrenching moment on the COVID-19 roller coaster, with a net gain of 81 new cases added to Avoyelles Parish's pandemic total over the weekend.

Tuesday was another reminder that COVID is still a dangerous adversary, as Avoyelles' days-without-a-death streak came to an end.

There were 108 positive lab test results on Monday, but 27 rapid result test cases were subtracted from the total number of cases -- either because they were misplaced in Avoyelles' totals or because they later took a lab test that confirmed a COVID infection.

One reason for Monday's higher number -- hopefully the main reason -- was a backlog of 379 positive test results in the state. It is not known how many of those were Avoyelles results.

Dr. David Holcombe, Office of Public Health Region VI administrator, said the backlog caused some issues with the numbers. Other, more problematic, reasons that could contribute to an increase in cases are a decrease in the number of people being tested for COVID-19 and a hesitancy by many to getting vaccinated.

On Monday Avoyelles' 13-month pandemic totals were 4,126 total cases with 3,625 "confirmed" by molecular tests and 501 deemed "probable" due to rapid result tests. The parish's COVID-related death toll remained at 122, with 113 having been confirmed with lab tests and nine of those victims diagnosed with a rapid result test.

On Tuesday the overall numbers adjusted, as they frequently have in the past few month, with a decrease of six molecular lab results and only one positive rapid result, reducing the overall case total to 4,121. The parish couldn't celebrate that bit of good news because the Tuesday numbers also brought word of the parish's 123rd COVID-related death -- the first since the report on April 12.