LOUISIANA — The Louisiana Department of Health confirmed Sunday that two deaths in the state have been linked to the ongoing winter storm.
According to state health officials, the Caddo Parish coroner reported that two men died from hypothermia related to the extreme cold. The men’s ages have not yet been released. No additional details about the circumstances of the deaths were immediately available.
Health officials warned that alcohol consumption can significantly increase the risk of hypothermia. The Louisiana Department of Health said alcohol causes blood vessels to dilate, which increases heat loss, and also reduces the body’s shivering response, a key mechanism the body uses to generate heat.
Officials said common signs of hypothermia include intense shivering, slurred speech, and mumbling, and they urged residents to seek help immediately if symptoms appear.
As dangerous cold conditions continue, local warming shelters have opened across Louisiana to provide residents with safe places to stay until temperatures improve. State and local officials are encouraging anyone without adequate heat to take advantage of these shelters and to check on vulnerable neighbors.
