IBERVILLE PARISH - Parish officials say they are implementing plans to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus as the area reported its first case Thursday.

Sheriff Brett Stassi is establishing similar policies as other local agencies to keep the coronavirus away from the parish jail population. Inmates will have their temperatures checked twice daily and have their court appearances through video conferencing.

Deputies are also being instructed to issue citations for misdemeanors instead of making arrests.

Parish President Mitch Ourso has ordered all chemical plants in the parish to submit their plans to him on their COVID19 protocols after a Dow contract worker who did not live in Iberville Parish contracted the virus.
 
The parish courthouse building could be closed to the public in the coming days, officials said.