COVID-19 hospitalizations in SWLA steady as cases continue to rise COVID-19 hospitalizations in SWLA steady as cases continue to rise By Rania Kaur | January 8, 2021 at 9:26 PM CST - Updated January 8 at 9:26 PM LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) -As those numbers climb across the state, Southwest Louisiana has not reached the high hospitalization rate seen back in the summer. Hospitalizations may not be at their peak in Southwest Louisiana, but providers say that doesn’t mean it’s time for people to stop taking precautions. We’re in what many are calling wave 3 of the pandemic in Louisiana, but for now, hospitalizations in region 5 are holding steady.