Virus claims two more parish lives

Lincoln Parish posted two additional deaths and 20 more cases of COVID-19 overnight, according to Friday’s update from the Louisiana Department of Health.

The latest figures show the parish with 839 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus, and 34 deaths. The total case count does not delineate patients who have recovered.

Lincoln Parish, along with the rest of the state, remains in a high incidence category for cases of COVID-19.

The Thursday-to-Friday jump in figures does not mean the additional deaths or positive cases literally occurred overnight. Instead that’s when their existence caught up with the state’s reporting system.

Meantime, the Lincoln Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness has distributed approximately 10,000 washable cotton facemasks and other personal protective equipment to all local public and private schools.

Homeland Security Director Kip Franklin said the distribution was in accordance with a state Department of Education request.

DOE wants all schools to have enough washable cotton facemasks for each at-school student, teacher and support staff member, along with a supply of surgical masks for visitors or students who forget their masks.

The state held back a number of cotton masks from a donation this spring from Hanes. Those are the masks that are now being divvied among parishes for students.

Students who are attending classes virtually will not receive masks.

Franklin said in addition to the 10,000 masks, his office has distributed 2,000 surgical masks to each school, along with the three digital thermometers to each campus.

Schools have also received face shields, Franklin said.

“It’s at the schools,” Franklin said about the store of PPE. “It’s ready to go.”