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Louisiana COVID hospitalizations drop for 6th straight day

The Louisiana Department of Health reports that 2,838 people were hospitalized with the virus across the state on Sunday.

NEW ORLEANS — The number of COVID-19 positive patients in Louisiana hospitals has dropped for six days straight, according to new figures published by the state's health department on Monday.

The Louisiana Department of Health reports that 2,838 people were hospitalized with the virus across the state on Sunday. That is 184 patients less than the pandemic record total of 3,022 that was set less than a week ago on Aug. 17.

The health department said that 91 percent of those hospitalized patients were unvaccinated.

Louisiana also reported 10,950 new cases and 57 new deaths due to the virus since Friday. The LDH says the largest percentage of new cases were among children between ages five and 17 years old and in New Orleans, Northshore, Baton Rouge, and Acadiana.

In total, 11,977 people in Louisiana have died due to the virus since the pandemic began.

Louisiana has repeatedly broken records this month for the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19.  The state surpassed 40 percent of residents fully vaccinated on Monday, one of the nation's lowest inoculation rates.

Louisiana State University announced on Monday that it will require students on its campuses to be vaccinated now that the FDA has given full approval to the Pfizer vaccine. Details of the mandate were still coming, university officials said. LSU has more than 30,000 students.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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