BATON ROUGE - Governor Edwards announced Tuesday that Louisiana will not move into the next phase of its reopening plan for at least another 21 days as the state reports a rise in new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations.

During a news briefing Tuesday (August 4), Edwards said the state will once again remain paused in reopening.  Earlier this summer, the governor decided not to move into phase three.

Phase two guidelines will be extended until August 28.  An official extension will be issued later this week.  The order will keep Louisiana in Phase 2 with no changes to ongoing restrictions or allowances for 21 more days - beginning Friday.

Under current rules in phase two, most businesses are allowed to stay open in a limited capacity. Bars remain closed.  Masks are required in Louisiana.  Gatherings should be limited to 50 people.

You can find the latest information on Louisiana's coronavirus cases here.