Louisiana counts 5,388 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, the 3rd highest spike ever By: Rachel Mipro - July 21, 2021 6:39 pm Coronavirus COVID-19 computer generated image. Getty Images BATON ROUGE – After the Wednesday veto override session ended without any bills being overridden, Gov. John Bel Edwards emphasized the need for both parties to come together and address the COVID-19 pandemic. At his 5 p.m. meeting addressing the session, Edwards said the surge in COVID-19 cases is the most pressing issue Louisiana is currently facing, with the state adding 5,388 COVID-19 cases in one day, the third highest spike since the pandemic started. “Now if there was one cause that we ought to all get behind and make sure that we’re pushing, it is to make sure we’re controlling this pandemic,” Edwards said. “Is to limit the people who are getting infected, going to the hospital and dying. Unfortunately that’s been squeezed out of the conversation as well here in Louisiana.”