NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana reported an additional 105 new deaths linked to complications from COVID-19 on Friday, the second-highest number of deaths reported since the pandemic began.
The Louisiana Department of Health said the only day with the higher number of deaths was April 14, when 129 deaths were reported.
In the last seven days, Louisiana has reported 345 deaths linked to the virus, roughly translating to about one death every 30 minutes on average. In total, 7,833 people in Louisiana have died since the outbreak began in early March.
Gov. John Bel Edwards said Friday that Louisiana has lost nearly 10 months of hard work to slow the spread of the virus.
“Today, we mourn the loss of 7,833 Louisianans to this illness. These are people’s children and parents and friends and coworkers. They are our neighbors. They are our sisters and brothers,” Edwards said. “This should weigh heavily on the hearts of all Louisianans every time they leave their homes while COVID is so rampant.”
The number of patients hospitalized in the state with COVID-19 continues to rise and set new grim records. The state health department says 2,069 people were hospitalized across the state with COVID-19 on Thursday. Of those patients, 220 require the use of ventilators.
“As of today, nearly 100,000 doses of the COVID vaccine have been administered in Louisiana, which is good news, but the vaccine will not stop this current surge,” Edwards said. “There is a light at the end of the tunnel, but it will not matter if we do not get there.”
The United States recorded more than 4,000 COVID-19 deaths on Thursday, the most coronavirus deaths in a single day since the pandemic began. According to a John Hopkins University tally, the top three highest days of coronavirus deaths in the U.S. have all taken place this week.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.