Thursday COVID update for Avoyelles: 36 cases, one death, 333 tests

Thursday's COVID update for Avoyelles Parish has something for everyone.

For those concerned only with the "bottom line" figures, and not percentages or analysis on whether things are improving or falling apart, there were the one-day test results showing 36 new cases and one more death attributed to the COVID-19 virus.

Those looking for some glimmer of hope can focus on that part of the report showing only nine new cases in 243 lab tests, an encouraging 3.7 percent positive rate. This number will eventually be part of the parish's official weekly positive rate.

If you want verification that this is indeed the darkness before a dawn that appears will never come, then look no further than the 27 infections diagnosed in only 90 rapid result tests -- a 30 percent positive rate. The state does not include RRTs in determining the official weekly positive rate, but some online COVID analysis organizations do.

The 18-month totals for Avoyelles Parish as of Thursday are 6,830 cases and 164 deaths. Statewide there have been 723,458 infections resulting in 13,366 deaths since the pandemic began in March 2020.