Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (R) urged his residents to get vaccinated on Twitter and during a press conference Friday, noting the increase in COVID-19 cases the state has experienced.
Edwards said during the Press conference the state recorded an “astronomical” increase in cases while having a low vaccination rate.
Louisiana has only 39% of its residents fully vaccinated, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
“Deaths from COVID have risen sharply since June, especially among Louisians under the age of 40. They are not just numbers. These are our sisters and brothers, ”Edwards posted on Twitter on Friday.
“COVID vaccines can prevent this immeasurable suffering. We must not lose any Louisianian to COVID, ”he added.
Deaths from COVID have risen sharply since June, especially among Louisians under the age of 40. They are not just numbers. These are our sisters and brothers. COVID vaccines can prevent this immeasurable suffering. We must not lose any more Louisians to COVID. #lagov pic.twitter.com/w4asQreNch
– John Bel Edwards (@LouisianaGov) August 20, 2021
The state has recorded nearly 650,000 cases of COVID-19 during the pandemic and nearly 12,000 deaths.
The recent increase was shown in figures from the state health department, with 32% more cases registered in August than in July.
There has also been a 1.467 percent increase in COVID-19 deaths in people under 40 years of age.
“I can tell you that over the past two days, 28 percent of all new cases we report are in children ages zero to 17,” Edwards said during the press conference.
The increase in cases among children occurs as students prepare or are already back in school.