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‘Big disparity’: 70% of Louisiana’s coronavirus deaths are African Americans, governor says

New data shows hypertension was the leading underlying condition present in the state's coronavirus deaths
WDSU Digital Team
‘Big disparity’: 70% of Louisiana’s coronavirus deaths are African Americans, governor says

New data shows hypertension was the leading underlying condition present in the state's coronavirus deaths

INFORMATION THAT WE PROVIDE TO YOU ALL DISTURBINGLY. THIS INFORMATION IS GOING TO SHOW YOU THIS LIGHTLY MORE THAN 70% OF ALL THE DEATHS IN LOUISIANA OR OF AFRICAN AMERICANS. ALMOST I’M SORRY SLIGHTLY MORE THAN SEVENTY PERCENT. AND SO THAT DESERVES MORE ATTENTION AND WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO DIG INTO THAT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO. TO SLOW THAT TREND DOWN HYPERTENSION IS THE LEADING UNDERLYING CONDITION NOW FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIED IN LOUISIANA. AND AND SO FOR ALL THESE REASONS WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WORK THIS AS HARD AS WE CAN BE PATIENT BE FOCUSED BE RESOLUTE. WE’RE NOT FAR BEHIND NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY IN TERMS OF PER CAPITA CASES. WE MAKE PROJECTIONS TO HELP US PLAN AND ALLOCATE RESOURCES BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED AND WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO. THAT IS FEASIBLE. BUT WE ONLY GET THE WORST CASE IF PEOPLE DON’T. DO WHAT THEY’RE BEING ASKED TO DO AND THAT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY’RE STAYING AT HOME DON’T GO OUT UNLESS IT’S ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY MINIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL CONT
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‘Big disparity’: 70% of Louisiana’s coronavirus deaths are African Americans, governor says

New data shows hypertension was the leading underlying condition present in the state's coronavirus deaths
WDSU Digital Team
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said Monday more than 70% of those who have died of the coronavirus in Louisiana are African American.“Obviously this is a big disparity,” Edwards said about the data at Monday’s press briefing.Louisiana’s population is 33% African American, according to 2019 U.S. Census data. Orleans Parish, which accounted for a third, or 171, of the state’s 512 COVID-19 deaths as of Monday, is 60% African American. Jefferson Parish, which has seen 121 deaths, is 28% African American. Fifty-seven percent of the state’s deaths occurred in one of the two metro New Orleans parishes.Data on race, underlying conditions and on dates of deaths became publicly available on the state’s coronavirus data dashboard Monday evening. It shows 70.5% of those who died were African American, 28.6% were white, and just under 1% were Asian. “Disturbingly, this information is going to show you that slightly more than 70% of the deaths in Louisiana are of African Americans,” Edwards said. “So that deserves more attention and we’re going to have to dig into that and see what we can do to slow that trend down.” Edwards later said the administration or health department would seek to learn what the disparity “is attributable to,” in order to address it “as quickly as possible."Former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu remarked on the race data on Twitter, saying it showed African-American communities have “disproportionate health and economic impacts,” and that solutions “must address underlying inequities in our society.” The new data shows hypertension was the leading underlying condition present in the state's coronavirus deaths. See the breakdown of underlying conditions, some which overlapped in fatal cases, below:66.40% hypertension43.52% diabetes25.10% chronic kidney disease24.70% obesity22.67% cardiac disease13.97% pulmonary11.54% congestive heart failure10.93% neurological9.92% cancer4.66% asthma
NEW ORLEANS —

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said Monday more than 70% of those who have died of the coronavirus in Louisiana are African American.

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“Obviously this is a big disparity,” Edwards said about the data at Monday’s press briefing.

Louisiana’s population is 33% African American, according to 2019 U.S. Census data. Orleans Parish, which accounted for a third, or 171, of the state’s 512 COVID-19 deaths as of Monday, is 60% African American. Jefferson Parish, which has seen 121 deaths, is 28% African American. Fifty-seven percent of the state’s deaths occurred in one of the two metro New Orleans parishes.

Data on race, underlying conditions and on dates of deaths became publicly available on the state’s coronavirus data dashboard Monday evening. It shows 70.5% of those who died were African American, 28.6% were white, and just under 1% were Asian.

“Disturbingly, this information is going to show you that slightly more than 70% of the deaths in Louisiana are of African Americans,” Edwards said. “So that deserves more attention and we’re going to have to dig into that and see what we can do to slow that trend down.”

Edwards later said the administration or health department would seek to learn what the disparity “is attributable to,” in order to address it “as quickly as possible."

Former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu remarked on the race data on Twitter, saying it showed African-American communities have “disproportionate health and economic impacts,” and that solutions “must address underlying inequities in our society.”

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The new data shows hypertension was the leading underlying condition present in the state's coronavirus deaths. See the breakdown of underlying conditions, some which overlapped in fatal cases, below:

  • 66.40% hypertension
  • 43.52% diabetes
  • 25.10% chronic kidney disease
  • 24.70% obesity
  • 22.67% cardiac disease
  • 13.97% pulmonary
  • 11.54% congestive heart failure
  • 10.93% neurological
  • 9.92% cancer
  • 4.66% asthma