Local coronavirus cases still going up

For the fifth consecutive day, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Lincoln Parish has increased.

The current total is 28, according to figures released at noon Thursday by the Louisiana Department of Health. The count includes all of the cases since the count began in March.

Thursday’s report does not say whether any of the local patients are hospitalized, on ventilators or recovering at home.

The number of swab tests administered lo-cally now stands at 237. That figure also dates back to the beginning of the coronavirus case count.

Meantime, the Louisiana case count is up to 18,283. That’s 1,253 more confirmed cases than Wednesday’s report showed. But that doesn’t mean there was an overnight surge in the illness, state officials say.

Instead they say the number represents receipt of test results for patients, some of whom may have been swabbed a week or so ago.

The virus has now claimed 702 lives, including three Union Parish residents.