Data points to parish virus hotspots

Though most of the confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lincoln Parish have occurred in Ruston, the largest clusters of cases are in southern and eastern parts of the city, along with the southwestern part of the parish.

Numbers plotted on Tuesday by the Lincoln Parish GIS office show a southwestern part of the parish with eight known cases and areas including the southern and eastern parts of Ruston with 28 cases, for a total of 36 cases.

As of Friday, the Louisiana Department of Health reported 122 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the parish.

That's six more cases than were reported on Thursday. However, discrepancies continue to show up on the list, Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Kip Franklin said.

At least one person lives outside the parish — the total is supposed to reflect Lincoln Parish residents only; there are multiple duplicate names because those individuals have been tested more than once; and the list also includes the 13 people who have died.

The confirmed cases list is cumulative, meaning it dates back to the first two local cases on March 22. It also includes an undetermined number of patients who have recovered.

An analysis done by Franklin on the case count through May 6 — when the total was 98 cases (active and recovered) — showed residents ages 40-59 were hit the hardest by the coronavirus. At the time, 23 of the patients were between age 40-49, and 17, between 50-59.

The next largest combined bulge was patients from age 20-30, with a total of 24.

Only 25 patients were 70 or older.

Three patients fell in the 19 or younger age bracket.

The majority of patients were black — 69% — and female — 53%.

The age range, racial and gender trends track those of the state.

Demographically, the early May numbers showed 64 positive cases in Ruston; nine in Grambling; seven in Simsboro; 11 in Dubach; and four in Choudrant.