Parish coronavirus death toll climbs

The novel coronavirus has claimed the life of at least one more Lincoln Parish resident.

Friday’s update from the Louisiana Department of Health shows the parish with 64 known cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, and four deaths.

For the first time, LDH is reporting data reflecting presumed COVID-19 recoveries. As of Friday, the number is 14, 926 statewide. The information is not broken out by parish.

LDH spokesperson Kelly Zimmerman said a patient is considered recovered if it has been more than 14 days since they tested positive and the patient isn’t in a hospital or isn’t dead (when hospital status is known), or it has been more than 21 days since a patient tested positive and isn’t dead (when hospital status isn’t known).

Statewide, COVID-19 cases stand at 26,140. Some 1,601 Louisianans have died from the illness.