HOUSTON, Jan, 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. state of Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards on Tuesday announced that the state will remain in the current Phase 2 of COVID restrictions until Feb. 10, the governor announced on Tuesday.
Pointed to those COVID-19 guidelines as key steps, the governor also urged businesses to have employees work remotely where possible.
"The state remains in a precarious place," Edwards said when making the announcement. "Cases and hospitalizations are increasing in every region."
Edwards ratcheted up COVID-19 restrictions in late November as the pandemic situation worsened statewide. In late December, he extended those rules which are set to expire on Wednesday.
Louisiana's average daily COVID-19 case increase over seven days was 2,822 as of Tuesday, up from 1,573 when Edwards first put the state in the modified version of Phase 2. Hospitalizations remain high at 1,982 patients, well above the 1,600-patient peak from the summer surge in cases, official figures showed. Enditem