New Orleans-area coronavirus cases spike alarmingly as governor requests major disaster declaration

Parishes rank among the worst

A quick look at the deaths per 100 cases (in counties with 100+ cases):

For comparison, New York City has a death rate per 100 cases that’s less than half of Jefferson Parish’s.

To be sure, Jefferson and Orleans parishes are much smaller than the counties with which they’re being compared above.

Breaking down the numbers by deaths per 100,000 residents — again, using only counties with 100 or more cases — Jefferson and Orleans parishes ranked No. 1 and No. 5 respectively, as of noon Tuesday.

‘Stay home’

Last week, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell issued a stay-at-home order for her city, closing businesses and banning gatherings of more than 10 people.

“If you don’t have any essential function or cannot safely maintain social distancing, you need to stay home,” Cantrell said Friday. “Don’t look for ways for the rules to not apply for you. … Stay home.”

The city has created a special police team to enforce order and respond to reports of large gatherings. Establishments that don’t comply with the order could permanently lose their business licenses, the New Orleans Police Department said in a tweet.

As of 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday, only California, New Jersey, New York and Washington had more cases than Louisiana, which had almost 1,400. Forty-six people have died, according to CNN’s 3 p.m. tally.

Could patients overwhelm hospitals?

Another startling number, Edwards said: The state saw its number of cases jump tenfold one week.

Even more worrisome, Louisiana could reach its health care capacity within days if the cases continue to rise at the current pace, the governor said.

“If we want to flatten the curve we have to take more aggressive mitigation measures now and limit social contact now,” he said Sunday. “We’ve got to take action now.”

Tulane Medical Center, Louisiana State University Health and Ochsner Medical Center did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment on Edwards’ concerns about available hospital beds.

Louisiana Children’s Medical Center Health, a system encompassing four hospitals, had no comment on the governor’s remarks. A spokeswoman declined to say how many of its employees had been tested or had tested positive for coronavirus.

Elderly hit hard

“Lambeth House is truly a community of people who care deeply about one another,” said Christina Fay, board director of Lambeth House. “The intensity of sadness that accompanies what our community is currently enduring is almost indescribable.”

At least seven nursing homes in the state have reported cases, Billioux said. The health department is in daily contact with the facilities and monitoring the situation, Billioux said.

As part of his Sunday order mandating that residents stay home, Edwards instituted restrictions on visiting retirement communities.