Health experts say it's no surprise that New Orleans is the center of the coronavirus crisis in hard-hit Louisiana after over a million people flocked to the city to celebrate Carnival for more than a month, culminating in Mardi Gras at the end of February. John Bel Edwards requested a Major Disaster Declaration for the state Tuesday as the number of cases rose to 1, in 43 of Louisiana's 64 parishes, according to the state's Health Department. On Sunday, he issued a stay-at-home order to slow the rapid rise of cases. Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak. While some parishes appear to be unaffected, Edwards said testing just hadn't caught up. It's in every single parish," he said.

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Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below. Just click on the icons to get to the download page. New Orleans, the Louisiana city known as the "Big Easy" famed for its jazz and nightlife, has become an epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic gripping the United States. Bourbon Street, the normally bustling heart of the French Quarter, is eerily quiet, its music silenced and its bars and restaurants shuttered. Health experts and state officials believe it is the month-long street party in February known as Mardi Gras which contributed to the severity of the outbreak in the city of some , people on the Mississippi River. Louisiana reported its first case of coronavirus on March 9, about two weeks after Mardi Gras culminated with its final street parades on February The southern US state now has 2, confirmed cases and 83 deaths.
What is Mardi Gras?
Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday", reflecting the practice of the last night of eating rich, fatty foods before the ritual Lenten sacrifices and fasting of the Lenten season. Related popular practices are associated with Shrovetide celebrations before the fasting and religious obligations associated with the penitential season of Lent. In countries such as the United Kingdom , Mardi Gras is also known as Shrove Tuesday, which is derived from the word shrive , meaning "to administer the sacrament of confession to; to absolve". Some think Mardi Gras may be linked [2] with the ancient Roman pagan celebrations of spring and fertility such as Saturnalia , which dates back to —31 BC. This celebration honored the god of agriculture, Saturn.
Nothing about Mardi Gras is predictable — not even the date. Unlike Christmas or the 4th of July which always fall on the same calendar day, the only thing you can count on for sure with Carnival is that Fat Tuesday will fall on, well, a Tuesday. New Orleans weather on Mardi Gras Day can be unpredictable as well. It can be shorts weather in early February and you might very well need a coat in March. Meeting Planners. Travel Professionals. Press and Media. You've added your first Trip Builder item!