RSS Feed

January 23, 1934 ~ March 25, 2020

ABBEVILLE — Private graveside services were held honoring the life of Earline Cormier Monteaux, 86, who died Wednesday, March 25, 2020 at her residence
Earline is survived by her four children, Lonnie Monteaux and his wife Michelle of Kaplan, Gene Monteaux, Jr. and his wife Kari of Kaplan, Jeanette Breaux and special friend Mitch of Abbeville, and Glenn Monteaux and his wife Kim of Loreauville; seven grandchildren, Brian Monteaux, Jereme Monteaux, Jay Anthony Monteaux, Brittany Gary, Bryce Monteaux, Lacey Hitter, and Kylie Monteaux; and ten great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Gene J. Monteaux, Sr.; parents, Odea Cormier and the former Ozia Touchet; and brothers, Raymond Cormier, Oris Cormier, Oray Cormier, and Allen Cormier.
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.

BY LEO HONEYCUTT

BATON ROUGE – Governor John Bel Edwards is stating somewhat emphatically that Louisiana is nearing a Corona-crisis. He says the state now has the 3rd fastest-growing COVID-19 caseload in the United States and could get much worse before it gets better.
“What is essential now,” Governor Edwards warned in a Tuesday press conference at GOHSEP, “is that we do our part to flatten out the curve to extend the duration of this event and not have it peak all at one time with people who are ill, presenting themselves to the hospital where we don’t have the capacity to render the care that they’re going to need. If we overwhelm the system, we are going to have less people survive that could have. We are running out of time.”
Governor Edwards at this point is more fearful of what could be a massive influx of Coronavirus patients to hospitals perhaps as early as next week. Some estimates say the state will run out of hospital beds by that time.
He also laments that Louisiana may have inadvertently aided the spread of Coronavirus when over one million revelers flocked to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Doctors identified the first case of COVID-19 just 13 days later in Orleans Parish. Now the only states where the virus is spreading faster are in the much more populated states of New York, California and Washington State.
This is why the governor says he rushed to put in a federal disaster declaration on the state’s behalf.
“I am not diminishing the challenges being presented in any other state,” he told reporters, “whether it’s New York or New Jersey or Washington or any other state. I just don’t want anybody to minimize the challenges we have here in Louisiana. As I mentioned before, the trajectory we’re on is very problematic. The growth rate we’re seeing is very problematic. We are Number 3 in the country in terms of per-capita cases.”
Late Tuesday night, President Trump granted Governor Edwards’ disaster declaration, only the fourth in the nation to get federal disaster aid in stopping the Coronavirus. According to Louisiana Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne, the state has already spent $71 million fighting the virus.
But five whole days passed while the Coronavirus became a Pandemic as both parties battled on Capitol Hill over the huge influx of money. Speaking on Fox News’ Sean Hannity Show, Republican Louisiana Senator John Kennedy blasted Democratic leadership for stonewalling.
“What Speaker Pelosi and Senator Schumer have done is breathtakingly irresponsible,” Kennedy said of the delay to get money in unrelated programs including climate initiatives. “We had the deal practically put together when Speaker Pelosi flew in with her left-of-Lenin bridge-to-nowhere proposals and Senator Schumer did not have the oranges to tell her to back off.”
Finally in the pre-dawn hours of Wednesday, the bill to head off economic disaster for the millions now at home and many out of work passed. Checks averaging $1,200 per adult and $500 for children could be in the mail as early as next week.
The Coronavirus Relief Package is the largest economic stimulus package in the history of the United States, with an eventual price tag of $2 TRILLION, far beyond what the White House had recommended as Democrats and Republicans tacked on more programs. In one instance, where the President’s team had recommended a companion appropriations bill of $46 billion to get money to states, Congress ballooned the figure to $300 billion, more than all the federal funds spent for Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy combined.
Lawmakers had previously passed $8.3 billion in emergency funds to healthcare systems and $100 billion-plus to boost paid sick leave, unemployment insurance and to provide free coronavirus testing.
In the meantime, Governor Edwards is pleading with citizens to simply stay home and call friends and family, and in runs to grocery stores, to not get any closer to another person than six-to-ten feet. The governor is alarmed that Louisiana’s rate of infection is still skyrocketing, heading upwards toward 1,500 cases and 50 deaths, and is now the third highest infection rate per capita in the country.
Edwards sternly admonished, “Stay home, stop the spread, save lives. Behave today as if you already have the virus.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, Vermilion Parish and Cameron Parish are the two southern parishes in Louisiana that have no confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Each day at noon, the Louisiana Department of Health updates its website on the number of COVID-19 cases in the state and in each parish.
Becky Broussard, the director of Vermilion Parish’s Office of Emergency Preparedness, has no solid explanation as to why Cameron and Vermilion do not have any cases.
“I just hope it stays that way until April 13,” said Broussard
As of Wednesday, 1,795 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed. There have been 65 deaths statewide. The DHH reports 48 of the state’s 64 parishes have confirmed cases.
Orleans and Jefferson parishes combine for 1,186 cases and 44 deaths.
Lafayette Parish is beginning to see its cases increase.
On Wednesday, Lafayette had 20 cases and no deaths.
St. Mary Parish has five cases, while St. Landry has four cases.
Iberia Parish and Acadia Parish each have two cases and no deaths.

LAFAYETTE — The University of Louisiana at Lafayette has confirmed that one of its students has tested positive for COVID-19.
In a statement emailed Wednesday to students, faculty and staff members, Dr. Joseph Savoie, University president, said the student does not live on campus, nor were they a student resident this semester. The student did not exhibit symptoms while on campus, which current understanding suggests reduces the likelihood of transmission.
Public health officials have been in touch with students, staff members and faculty who may have had direct contact with the student. Those individuals are being asked to follow guidance from the CDC and state health agencies, which is to self-isolate, monitor their own health for the next 14 days, and seek medical attention should they develop symptoms.

Dr. Savoie's full statement follows:

Dear students, faculty and staff members,
Today, we learned that one of our students has tested positive for COVID-19. This is the University’s first confirmed case of the virus.
Let me begin by asking all of you to join me in offering thoughts and best wishes to the affected student as they recover.
This student does not live on campus, nor were they a student resident this semester. The student did not exhibit symptoms while on campus, which current understanding suggests reduces the likelihood of transmission.
Public health officials have been in touch with students, staff members and faculty who may have had direct contact with the student.
Those individuals are being asked to follow guidance from the CDC and state health agencies, which is to self-isolate, monitor their own health for the next 14 days, and seek medical attention should they develop symptoms.
In line with University policy and guidance from the Louisiana Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the student is self-isolating with family at home.
I know this announcement will heighten concern in an already anxious time. But I can assure you that over the past several weeks, the University has been preparing for the possibility that its community would be directly affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
We will continue to keep all of you informed through updates on the University’s dedicated COVID-19 website, via email and across official social media platforms.
On Sunday, Gov. John Bel Edwards issued a statewide order that requires residents to stay in their homes except when going out for essentials. I want to urge you to take this order seriously.

If you must go out, and even while you are staying in, continue to practice good hygiene methods recommended by the CDC and local health agencies. You should:
avoid people who are sick.
distance yourself from others by at least 6 feet and avoid clusters of people.
cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
By taking these responsible steps, you are helping curb the spread of COVID-19 – and showing that you care. You’re protecting yourselves, your friends, your loved ones and your community.