Coronavirus (COVID-19)

About Coronavirus (COVID-19)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Louisiana Office of Public Health continue to closely monitor this outbreak.

Louisiana Cases

Presumptive Positive Test Results

36  

CDC Confirmed Positive Cases

0  

Tests Completed by the State Lab

108  

Parish of Residence

 Caddo

1  

 Jefferson

3  

 Lafourche

1  

 Orleans

26  

 St. Bernard

1  

 St. Charles  1  

 St. Tammany 

2  

 Terrebonne

1  

Deaths

0  

 (Updated 3/13/2020 4:30 p.m.)

  

This information will be updated once daily at 9:30 a.m.

To prevent the spread of infection, the Louisiana Department of Health is heavily engaged in priority public health actions. These actions include, but are not limited to:

  1. working with healthcare facilities with presumptive patients to identify exposed healthcare workers and make appropriate recommendations;
  2. ensuring all recommended infection control precautions are implemented in the healthcare facilities until we determine that the patient is no longer infectious,
  3. notifying and monitoring close contacts;
  4. coordinating with CDC

All information on this website reflects the most current information provided to the State. It is subject to change based on further investigations, and will be updated accordingly.

About Coronavirus

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some causing illness in people and others that circulate among animals, including camels, cats and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can evolve and infect people and then spread between people such as has been seen with recent outbreaks of MERS and SARS.

Questions about Coronavirus?

If you have questions about coronavirus, please contact the Louisiana 211 Network by dialing dial 211. Or, you can text the keyword LACOVID to 898-211 for the most current information about the outbreak as it becomes available.

Risk to public is low

Currently the risk to the general public is low. People with recent travel to China, or who have come in contact with someone who has recent travel and is ill, have a greater risk for becoming ill.

Reported cases have ranged from mild illness (similar to a common cold) to severe pneumonia that requires hospitalization. So far, deaths have been reported mainly in older adults who had other health conditions.

To minimize the risk of spread, Louisiana health officials are working with health care providers to promptly identify and evaluate any suspected cases.

Symptoms

For confirmed infections, reported illnesses have ranged from infected people with little to no symptoms (similar to the common cold) to people being severely ill and dying. Symptoms can include:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing

CDC believes at this time that symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 after exposure.

There is no specific antiviral treatment recommended for COVID-19 infection. People infected with COVID-19 should receive supportive care to help relieve symptoms.

How does novel coronavirus spread?

Health experts are still learning the details about how this new coronavirus spreads. Other coronaviruses spread from an infected person to others through:

  • Through respiratory droplets produced when coughing and sneezing
  • Close personal contact
  • Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes

What you can do

Anyone who recently traveled to China, who experiences fever, cough, or other acute illness should contact a health care provider as soon as possible and mention your recent travel. Please call ahead and inform the health care provider about your travel history.

It is currently flu and respiratory disease season, and flu activity is still high and expected to continue for a number of weeks. Take steps to avoid spreading germs from any respiratory diseases by:

  • Getting a flu vaccine and taking flu antivirals if prescribed.
  • Covering your cough.
  • Staying home if you are sick.
  • Washing your hands.

What is the Louisiana Department of Health doing?

We are in contact with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as other local and national partners to share information.

We have sent information to health care providers around the state with current recommendations for screening and testing for COVID-19, as well as to EMS providers regarding proper protection procedures.

We are holding frequent calls with staff to remain apprised of the latest updates and we are sharing messaging with partners and the public as it becomes available.

Sharing messaging with partners and the public as it becomes available.

Information for the Public

Information from the CDC

Information for Providers