Wednesday COVID news: 0 new cases in 39 tests; Avoyelles has sixth week of under-5 percent positivity

It is hard to see a COVID daily report with no new cases and no additional deaths as anything but good news for Avoyelles Parish. However, Wednesday's report from the Louisiana Department of Health was based on only 39 test results -- way to few for parish officials to start scheduling a victory party.

While recent history would tend to have the parish listening for another shoe to drop, bringing a larger number of cases and higher positive rate with it, Avoyelles can take heart in another state report on the status of COVID in the parish also released Wednesday.

The parish has now had six straight weeks with a parishwide COVID positive rate of under 5 percent. It also reversed a trend of seeing that rate inching closer to 5 percent. The parish had a somewhat rough several days last week that will be reflected in the state's Nov. 11 update on weekly positive rates.

But for now, Avoyelles can celebrate a 3.7 percent rate for the seven-day period of Oct. 22-28.

The parish's pandemic totals as of Wednesday were 1774 cases, 62 deaths and 29,634 tests. The parish has not had a COVID fatality since Oct. 11.

The state's pandemic totals are 185,144 cases, 5,746 deaths and 2,820,899 tests since the pandemic hit the state in March.