vaccination in the country, a highly contagious delta variant that is much more transmissible than the previous virus we knew a year ago. and right now we have the highest numbers of new cases of any state in the nation, more than triple the u.s. average. minutes ago, it was reported that we have the highest numbers of hospitalization since the pandemic began. 52 died since yesterday, most deaths since january of 2020. this is putting an enormous strain on our doctors, nurses and hospital staff not only at lsu but throughout louisiana zblie was so struck by what the chief medical officer of our lady at the lake regional medical center, your biggest hospital, said about -- de describing where we are right now in louisiana with hospita hospitalizations. listen to this. >> we no longer think we're giving adequate care to anybody because these are the darkest days of the pandemic. >> these are the darkest days of the pandemic? so many of us in more highly vaccinated areas feel like we've