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“Congressman-elect Luke Letlow, 41, handed away this night at Ochsner-LSU Well being Shreveport as a result of issues from COVID-19,” Letlow spokesman Andrew Bautsch wrote in a submit on the Republican congressman-elect’s Fb web page.
Letlow’s household, he stated, “appreciates the quite a few prayers and assist over the previous days however asks for privateness throughout this troublesome and sudden time.”
Letlow had introduced his analysis on his Fb web page on December 18, writing that he was “at house resting, following all CDC tips, quarantine protocols, and the suggestions of my medical doctors.”
Days later, Letlow posted that he was present process remedy at St. Francis Hospital in Monroe earlier than an announcement from his workplace on December 23 stated he had been transferred to Ochsner LSU Heath Shreveport Tutorial Medical Middle.
Dr. G.E. Ghali, the chancellor of LSU Well being Shreveport, stated in an announcement on the time that Letlow was in “steady situation within the Intensive Care Unit” and was receiving the drug Remdesivir and steroids as a part of his remedy.
Information of Letlow’s dying was met with a direct outpouring of assist for the congressman-elect’s household.
“Luke Letlow is now with our Creator, however his untimely departure from this world is a big loss to Louisiana and America. Simply weeks in the past, voters overwhelmingly selected Luke to symbolize them in Congress,” Rep. Garret Graves, a Republican of Louisiana, tweeted.
“They noticed what so many people know of Luke – type, sensible, quick-witted, God-fearing, hard-working, sincere and only a good man.”
That message was echoed by New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, a Democrat, who stated in a tweet, “We’re heartbroken to be taught of the passing of Congressman-elect Luke Letlow.”
“He was a promising younger chief who liked Louisiana deeply. Our prayers exit to his household and family members.”
Louisiana GOP Sen. John Kennedy equally tweeted that he was “heartbroken” by the information.
“For years, Luke has served LA tirelessly. Greater than that, Luke was a loving husband and father,” Kennedy stated. “Please be part of us in praying for the Letlow household throughout this time of unbelievable loss.”
The Republican Get together of Louisiana additionally praised Letlow as a “rising political star and good friend” in an announcement Tuesday night.
Louisiana Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards ordered that flags within the state be flown at half-staff on the day of Letlow’s funeral.
Underneath Louisiana state legislation, a particular election will now happen to elect somebody to symbolize the state’s fifth Congressional District, which Letlow had carried in a runoff election earlier this month with 62% of the vote. The district is closely Republican and encompasses a lot of japanese Louisiana.
The US reported 124,686 coronavirus sufferers in hospitals Tuesday, probably the most reported on a given day throughout the pandemic, in accordance with the Covid Monitoring Venture.
The nation’s proportion of ICU sufferers who’ve coronavirus additionally has shot up, from 16% in September to 40% final week, in accordance with the US Division of Well being and Human Providers.
This story has been up to date with extra response and reporting on Letlow’s passing.
CNN’s Alli Gordon contributed to this report.
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