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ABBEVILLE — Graveside services were held honoring the life of Dianna Primeaux Thomas, 70, who died Sunday, March 29, 2020 at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Pallbearers were Chance Thomas, Gavin Thomas, Peyton Derouen, Cooper Derouen, Jude Primeaux, and Toby Primeaux.
Dianna is survived by her husband of 50 years, Willie Thomas of Abbeville; one son, Chance Thomas and his wife, Renee of Iowa; one daughter, Patti Thomas Derouen of Abbeville; five grandchildren, Sydney Thomas, Gavin Thomas, Peyton Derouen, Cooper Derouen and Masie Turner; one brother, Elwood Primeaux of Abbeville; and one sister, Verna Prather of Abbeville.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Minos Primeaux and the former Enolia Duhon; brothers, Linus Primeaux and Pervis Primeaux; sister, Ella Mae Frith; and grandson, Oliver Derouen.
On behalf of our entire family, we would like to thank M.D. Anderson, especially the I.C.U. team for their kindness and compassionate care given to our mother and family during this difficult time.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.

The news dealing with COVID-19 continues to get worse before it gets better.
On Friday, St. Martin Parish officials announced that three people have died from COVID-19. The state Department of Health confirmed one death in Acadia Parish.
St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars confirmed the three deadly cases Friday morning.
“This morning, we have learned that St. Martin Parish has 11 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The sobering news about that is the Louisiana Department of Health has confirmed that three of those cases has resulted in death,” Cedars said during a press conference.
One of the St. Martin Parish victims is a 41-year-old Breaux Bridge man. The other victims were 70 and 89 years old.
Lafayette Parish now has 44 cases and no deaths.
On Friday, Vermilion Parish learned it had two cases of coronavirus. Abbeville Mayor Mark Piazza is asking citizens to do their part to limit the spread. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards issued a stay at home order for non-essential last Sunday. That order does allow for people to go to grocery stores, restaurants to pick up food and go to the pharmacy, among other essential businesses.
“We have couple of cases here in Vermilion,” Piazza said Friday afternoon. “It came as a shock to some. I think the naysayers are beginning to see how critical it is to follow these guidelines.”
Echoing comments from Gov. Edwards, Piazza said stay home whenever possible.
“I realize that the governor said the grocery stores are open,” Piazza said. “He didn’t say that you need to bring your whole family. Try to limit trips to one family member. I know there are situations where you can’t, but leave the kids home if at all possible.
“Do your part to limit the exposure by keeping as many of your family members at home as possible when you do have to do out.”-
On Friday, the Louisiana Department of Health updated its website to reflect the latest number of positives and will continue to update its website at 12 p.m. each day.
As of Friday, 2,746 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed. There have been 119 deaths statewide. The DHH reports 54 of the state’s 64 parishes have confirmed cases.

BY LEO HONEYCUTT

BATON ROUGE – It’s official. The United States on Thursday eclipsed China, Italy, and 170 other countries for the most cases of Coronavirus. The U.S. is now zooming past 85,000 cases and 1,000 deaths.
This makes Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards mad, very mad, because skyrocketing Coronavirus cases in Louisiana are putting the state almost in the lead for the outbreak. He’s not happy that many Louisianans are still refusing to stay home.
“If you will do what is within your power to slow the spread of this virus,” he admonished to Louisianans via television at a Thursday press conference, “to slow the spread of this disease, we won’t need to surge [at medical facilities] as much or as fast. You literally have the power within yourself to save lives. It could be your own. It could be your spouse’s, your parents, your next-door neighbor, but you have it within your power to save lives if you will simply minimize the contact you have with other people.”
The governor is angry because Louisiana’s numbers per capita show the virus spreading like wildfire, mostly in the New Orleans area where Mardi Gras attracted over a million revelers from around the world. While they partied for the month of February, the Coronavirus Pandemic was exploding in China and Italy.
“We can avoid it,” lamented Edwards. “It is entirely within our power to avoid it but we’ve got to have more compliance.”
Compliance being: stay at home and keep your distance.
The governor is upset over the 28% rise in one day of cases and deaths. As of noon Thursday, Louisiana COVID-19 cases soared to 2,305 spread across 53 out of 64 parishes.
Eighty-three Louisianans have died, the last one again in New Orleans but this time, a 17-year-old.
Orleans Parish overwhelmingly leads the state with 1,000 cases and 46 deaths.
Jefferson Parish next door is second with 458 cases and 12 deaths.
Then the virus jumps north to Caddo Parish’s 115 cases and 1 death.
The capitol city of Baton Rouge is now fourth with 4 deaths out of 105 cases.
Baton Rouge Mayor Sharon Weston Broome and civic leaders opened an emergency warehouse while pleading for medical supplies.
Further alarming, next door Ascension Parish suddenly has the highest rate of infection with nearly 100 cases.
“The curve we are on today is not promising,” the governor said. “Why would you want to take the chance on bringing it home? While we left essential businesses open so you could go to the grocery store, the pharmacy, the bank, the gas station, you don’t have to go every day.”
Shortly after the governor’s press conference, Super Bowl winning quarterback Drew Brees and his wife Brittany committed $5 million to the State of Louisiana for much needed supplies and meals. Friday morning, after an upbeat live interview with Brees on NBC’s Today Show, anchor Hoda Kotb, who spent much of her career in New Orleans, broke down on live television and was unable to continue for more than a minute afterward.
The message is slowly sinking in. Thousands of Louisianans are complying with Governor Edwards’ wishes and they are sheltering in place with their children now going into the third week. “It’s a little crazy,” says Danielle Porche, a Baton Rouge realtor with 2 kids, 8-year-old Evangeline and 4-year-old Jules. “When they’re not studying, they like to reverse roles and be the parents. But only so far. Jules is big on disciplining and likes to roar like a tiger. ‘You kids do what I tell you to do,’ he yells.”
Out of the mouths of babes, and governors.
“Stay home,” says Governor Edwards. “The life you’re saving is mostly likely your own.”

BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana Department of Health has updated its website to reflect the latest number of positives and will continue to update its website at noon each day.
As of noon on March 26, the Department reported 510 additional cases since yesterday, bringing the total to 2,305 positive cases. Important to note are the increases in Caddo Parish (additional 22 cases, bringing the total to 115) and Bossier Parish (additional 25 cases, bringing the total to 32), which the Department and Governor’s Office are monitoring closely.
To further combat the spread of COVID-19 in Louisiana, Governor John Bel Edwards issued a Stay at Home Order on March 22, directing all Louisiana residents to shelter at home and limit movements outside of their homes beyond essential needs.

Hospitalization
Yesterday, 491 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized. Of those, 163 patients required ventilation. Today, 676 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized. Of those, 239 require ventilation. If Louisiana’s growth continues this way and the State is unable to flatten the curve, the New Orleans area could run out of vents by the first week of April.

Nursing homes
The Department of Health has identified COVID-19 clusters in six nursing homes in the state. The five the Department can identify are Chateau D’Ville, Chateau De Notre Dame, Lambeth House, St. James Place and Vista Shores. A cluster is identified as two or more cases that appear to be connected. With the involvement of hospitals and multiple providers and the growth in cases of nursing home residents, going forward the Department will require a lag time in its reporting on specific clusters. The Department aims to be a source of reliable information and needs to be able to allow its epidemiological team time to do its job in notifying providers and patients. Going forward, the Department will report the current number of clusters every day at noon, but will only share names of facilities once the proper notifications have taken place. The Department continues to work with nursing homes to minimize the spread of the illness and protect residents and staff.

Deaths
The Department reports an additional 18 deaths since yesterday, bringing the total of 83 deaths. Below is a table of all reported deaths to date.
Age, Parish

53, Orleans
50, Orleans
63, Orleans
83, Orleans
84, Orleans
92, Orleans
55, Orleans
93, Orleans
58, Orleans
77, Jefferson
80, Orleans
44, Orleans
72, Orleans
44, Orleans
72, Orleans
73, Jefferson
77, Jefferson
98, Orleans
44, East Baton Rouge
76, Rapides
60, St. James
72, Jefferson
76, Orleans
78, Orleans
49, Orleans
62, Washington
38, Catahoula
72, Jefferson
44, Orleans
77, Orleans
56, Ouachita
77, De Soto
53, Orleans
90, Orleans
80, Jefferson
73, West Baton Rouge
52, East Baton Rouge
91, Orleans
82, Orleans
85, Orleans
59, St. Bernard
89, Jefferson
66, Ascension
77, Jefferson
36, Orleans
73, Orleans
56, Orleans
59, Bienville
68, Orleans
66, Orleans
74, Orleans
86, St. John the Baptist
49, Orleans
87, Orleans
55, Orleans
78, Jefferson
56, Orleans
44, Webster
79, Caddo
71, Orleans
77, Orleans
97, Orleans
55, Iberville
76, Calcasieu
91, Orleans
79, St. Charles
57, Orleans
90, St. Tammany
83, Orleans
65, Orleans
62, Lafourche
95, St. John the Baptist
17, Orleans
74, Orleans
79, East Baton Rouge
44, Orleans
71, Orleans
86, Jefferson
86, Orleans
36, Jefferson
70, Orleans
59, East Baton Rouge
78, St. Charles
93, Orleans
81, Jefferson

Guidance for providers
All guidance memos issued can be found on the Department of Health website: www.ldh.la.gov/coronavirus.