Avoyelles COVID count jumps to 981

Louisiana's number of identified COVID cases increased by 3,614 in Tuesday's official update -- but 1,741 of those "new" cases were from a backlog of tests dating back to May 28, the Department of Health reported on its website.

Some of that backlog could be responsible for a 30-case increase in Avoyelles Parish, which saw its total number of COVID infections rise from 951 on Monday to 981 on Tuesday. The parish's official death toll is still 27, although parish officials said there has been one recent death that has not shown up in the state report. There are also two "probable COVID" deaths still awaiting confirmation of the cause of death, making the "unofficial" number of deaths 30.

There have now been 13,555 Avoyelles Parish residents tested for COVID since the pandemic began in March. A large majority of those have been in the past two months, when an extensive testing program began with sites throughout the parish.

It is possible Avoyelles will pass both the 1,000-case and 30-death markers in the state's daily updates this week.