COVID-19 has come to Allen Parish. As of Monday, there were two confirmed cases in the Oakdale area; both were federal inmates.
According to a post made to the Oakdale Community Hospital Facebook page (which was also shared by the City of Oakdale), one inmate was seen by the Oakdale Community Hospital and later transferred to a medical facility in Rapides Parish. The second one has been quarantined.
In the Facebook post, the Oakdale Community Hospital said the first case did not originate in the community.
“Although this was not a case which originated in our community, we were able to provide great care to the individual who was then transferred to a higher level of care and is stabilized as of our last report,” the hospital posted in a Facebook post to the community.
The hospital immediately notified the Office of Public Health of the result and the provider who cared for the patient. The provider then notified the patient.
The hospital said it is notifying all caregivers and personnel who may have come in contact with the patient during their visit to Oakdale Community Hospital.
“All personnel protective equipment guidelines, as well as isolation precautions were followed,” the statement read.
The COVID-19 numbers for Louisiana as of Monday were as follows:
•More than 1,000 coronavirus cases in Louisiana
•34 Louisiana residents have died of COVID-19
•567 coronavirus cases in New Orleans
•41 parishes reporting COVID-19 cases
•Stay-at-home order began Monday
Sheriff Doug Hebert said operations with the APSO offices and jails are running smoothly. They are continuing to take every precaution to keep civilian, staff and inmates safe.
Hebert said the parish jail has been in lockdown with no visitation allowed. The jail is also not accepting outside items from families and friends until this crisis has passed.
There were no arrests available by the Kinder Police Department, Oakdale Police Department and Allen Parish Sheriff’s Office at press time.
All government officials continue to urge citizens to stay home unless absolutely necessary or in the case of an emergency. In the case that you should have to leave your home practice social distancing of at least six feet.
The new shelter-at-home order that took effect on Monday applies to the following businesses:
It limits on the following:
•All places of public amusement, whether indoors or outdoors, including but not limited to, locations with amusement rides, carnivals, amusement parks, water parks, trampoline parks, aquariums, zoos, museums, arcades, fairs, pool halls, children’s play centers, playgrounds, theme parks, any theaters, concert and music halls, adult entertainment venues, racetracks, and other similar businesses.
•All personal care and grooming businesses, including but not limited to, barber shops, beauty salons, nail salons, spas, massage parlors, tattoo parlors, and other similar businesses.
•All malls, except for stores in a mall that have a direct outdoor entrance and exit that provide essential services and products as provided by the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) guidelines.
Businesses closed to the public as listed in the order can conduct necessary activities such as payroll, cleaning services, maintenance or upkeep as necessary.
Any business not covered by the guidance from the CISA discussed in Section 3 of the order and not ordered to temporarily close must reduce operations to continue with minimum contact with members of the public and essential employees, while requiring proper social distancing, adhering to the 10-person limitation on gathering size.
•Early learning centers and child care facilities adhering to the guidance issued by the Louisiana Department of Education and Office of Public Health may continue to operate.
Examples of essential worker functions under the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) guidelines include:
•Healthcare workers and caregivers
•Mental health and Social Service workers
•Pharmacy employees
•Workers supporting groceries, pharmacies and other retail sales of food and beverage products
•Restaurant carryout and quick-serve food operations and food delivery employees
•Farm workers
•Electricity and utility industry employees
•Critical manufacturing employees (medical supply chains, energy, transportation, food, chemicals)
•Petroleum, natural and propane gas workers
•Transportation and logistics workers
•Communications and information technology employees
•Financial services and banking industry employees
