Rapides Parish reports 4 new COVID cases; Louisiana cases surge 24.1%

New coronavirus cases leaped in Louisiana in the week ending Sunday, rising 24.1% as 1,271 cases were reported. The previous week had 1,024 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Louisiana ranked 42nd among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the latest week coronavirus cases in the United States increased 57.1% from the week before, with 351,599 cases reported. With 1.4% of the country's population, Louisiana had 0.36% of the country's cases in the last week. Across the country, 42 states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.

Rapides Parish reported four cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported two cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 30,919 cases and 575 deaths.

Avoyelles Parish reported five cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported four cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 10,784 cases and 207 deaths.

Grant Parish reported one case and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported one case and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 5,536 cases and 94 deaths.

Winn Parish reported five cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported one case and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 4,160 cases and 63 deaths.

Within Louisiana, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Caldwell Parish with 111 cases per 100,000 per week; Orleans Parish with 98; and St. Tammany Parish with 56. The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per 100,000 per week.

Adding the most new cases overall were Orleans Parish, with 382 cases; Jefferson Parish, with 205 cases; and St. Tammany Parish, with 146. Weekly case counts rose in 35 parishes from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week's pace were in Orleans, St. Tammany and Jefferson parishes.

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Louisiana ranked 48th among states in share of people receiving at least one shot, with 60.9% of its residents at least partially vaccinated. The national rate is 77.5%, a USA TODAY analysis of CDC data shows. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which are the most used in the United States, require two doses administered a few weeks apart.

In the week ending Sunday, Louisiana reported administering another 23,293 vaccine doses, including 3,236 first doses. In the previous week, the state administered 20,754 vaccine doses, including 3,008 first doses. In all, Louisiana reported it has administered 6,224,067 total doses.

Across Louisiana, cases fell in 20 parishes, with the best declines in Lafayette Parish, with 22 cases from 221 a week earlier; in Vermilion Parish, with 4 cases from 43; and in Acadia Parish, with 4 cases from 14.

In Louisiana, 29 people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 17 people were reported dead.

A total of 1,171,633 people in Louisiana have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 17,223 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 80,984,914 people have tested positive and 991,254 people have died.

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Louisiana's COVID-19 hospital admissions rising

USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, April 24.

Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:

• Last week: 222

• The week before that: 173

• Four weeks ago: 226

Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:

• Last week: 40,571

• The week before that: 37,500

• Four weeks ago: 39,316

Hospitals in 37 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 25 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 42 states admitted more COVID-19 patients in the latest week than a week prior, the USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Health and Human Services data shows.

The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Disease Control. If you have questions about the data or the story, contact Mike Stucka at mstucka@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: Rapides Parish reported four additional COVID-19 cases this week