After several weeks of monitoring a steady rise in COVID-19 levels in the New Orleans area, the New Orleans Health Department urges residents and visitors to be mindful that the virus is still out there and is spreading at an increasing rate.
New Orleans health leaders say the risks from the pandemic continue to pose a threat, especially to senior residents, individuals with pre-existing health conditions, and children who have not yet been vaccinated.
They say while Omicron may be less severe than the Delta version of the disease, it is more contagious than previous versions, and if this trend continues at its current rate, New Orleans will move to a heightened alert very soon, setting us up for another summer COVID surge.
NOHD says it has seen a slight rise in COVID cases through testing and wastewater, treatments for COVID, and the Health Department will address the public today at 9:00 a.m. on what the department is doing to prevent another summer surge.
Louisiana Department of Health Officer, Dr. Joe Kanter told WWL that test results are showing more coronavirus in the community.
"Every indication is pointing to there's more COVID and cases are growing," he told WWL's Newell Normand last Friday. However, Dr. Kanter also says it is too soon at this time to tell if the rise in data numbers is a new surge of the pandemic.
