52 new COVID cases in St. Mary in Friday report

The Louisiana Office of Public Health reported 52 new St. Mary COVID-19 cases at midday Friday as the omicron surge continues to show signs of peaking.

Comparisons with past statistics have been complicated this week, when the OPH began including reinfections as new cases in the daily totals. In St. Mary, the number of cases since the pandemic began rose from 11,758 Thursday to 11,810 Friday.

One COVID-related death was reported this week in St. Mary, raising the pandemic death toll to 245.

Statewide, 7,312 new cases and 62 deaths were reported for the 24 hours ending at midday Friday.

COVID hospitalizations fell 99 to 2,088, and the number of people on ventilators fell by 12 to 169.

St. Mary's vaccination rate is now at 43.03% of the population.