LOUISIANA – The U.S. has reported more than 22,000,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Jan. 12, 2021. More than 360,000 Americans have died of COVID-19-related causes — the highest death toll of any country.
Nationwide, there were an average of 72.1 daily new coronavirus cases per 100,000 Americans in the week ending Jan. 12, 2021. Cumulatively, the U.S. has reported 6,856.0 cases per 100,000 Americans and 112.4 deaths per 100,000 Americans.
In Louisiana, there were an average of 76.9 daily new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents in the week ending Jan. 12, 2021. Cumulatively, Louisiana has reported 7,573.8 cases per 100,000 state residents, the 22nd highest of all 50 states. Louisiana has reported 171.1 deaths per 100,000, the 8th highest of all 50 states.
While the nation’s largest metropolitan areas were hit hardest in the early months of the pandemic, by now nearly every city has suffered from the virus. Outbreaks are particularly likely to occur in places where large numbers of people tend to congregate, leaving cities with high concentrations of colleges, correctional facilities, and nursing homes particularly at risk.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Monroe metropolitan area has reported 19,955 confirmed cases, or 9,755.9 per 100,000 residents — the most of any city in Louisiana.
Shreveport-Bossier City, the city with the second most cases per capita, has reported 8,043.7 cases per 100,000 residents.
The coronavirus crisis has led to widespread unemployment across the country as consumer-facing businesses have been forced to close and customers encouraged to stay home. Unemployment in Monroe, which peaked at 12.8% in April 2020, was 7.7% as of October 2020.
To determine the metropolitan area in each state with the most COVID-19 cases per capita, 24/7 Wall St. compiled and reviewed data from state and local health departments. We ranked metropolitan areas according to the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents as of Jan. 12, 2021. Data was aggregated from the county level to the metropolitan area level using boundary definitions from the U.S. Census Bureau. Population data used to adjust case and death totals came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2018 American Community Survey and are five-year estimates.
MSA Population Total cases Cases per 100,000 Total deaths Deaths per 100,000
Monroe, LA 204,542 19,955 9,755.9 447 218.5
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA 401,708 32,312 8,043.7 822 204.6
Lafayette, LA 488,969 37,723 7,714.8 681 139.3
Lake Charles, LA 207,050 15,961 7,708.8 299 144.4
Hammond, LA 130,504 9,800 7,509.3 198 151.7
Alexandria, LA 153,894 11,210 7,284.2 266 172.8
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 1,263,635 90,238 7,141.1 2,082 164.8
Baton Rouge, LA 852,356 60,039 7,043.9 1,218 142.9
Houma-Thibodaux, LA 210,801 14,301 6,784.1 323 153.2
