New Orleans has 41 new cases of COVID-19 today, and the city says the average daily increase is 56 -- the highest it has been since April 24.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell says the rising cases in New Orleans, while not as bad as the rest of the state, concerns her.
"This is serious. And so while we are seeing an uptick in cases, we are still better than the rest of the state of Louisiana. However, we could easily go back into community spread," she warned.
Cantrell said if the data show increasing community spread, she will order new restrictions to try and keep people from spreading the disease to one another.
"If we do (experience an uptick) within the next week or so, I will be prepared to make additional restrictions as it relates to the relaxation that we've provided through phase two," she said. "Those will be centered around gatherings, large gatherings."
Dr. Jennifer Avegno, the city's health director, said the percentage of positive cases has been rising, too -- meaning it is not just increase testing that is causing numbers to rise.
"I am more concerned than I have been in several months," she said. "Over the last two weeks, our average of new cases per day has doubled."