NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Additional testing centers for the new coronavirus ran out of the day's supply of tests within hours of opening Friday in New Orleans, which has become one of the nation's hot spots for the virus.

Two more state residents died, including the virus' first victim outside of southeastern Louisiana.

Tests were being offered at New Orleans' two new drive-thru sites, in the parking lots of a local theater and a university arena. But they were initially were being offered only to health care workers and first responders showing symptoms consistent with the COVID-19 disease caused by the virus, according to New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell's office. The sites are supplied by the federal government.

Both locations, with materials for 100 tests a day, shut down by early afternoon — several hours earlier than advertised — after reaching their test capacity for the day. They were expected to reopen Saturday.

Nearly 500 people in Louisiana had tested positive for the virus by Friday morning, and 12 Louisiana residents have died from COVID-19, according to state health department data.

While more than three-quarters of positive tests were in the New Orleans area, cases of the coronavirus are starting to show up in nearly every metropolitan region of the state, with positive tests in parishes in northwestern, central and southwestern Louisiana. The virus has shown up in 25 of Louisiana's 64 parishes.

One of the deaths announced Friday by the state health department was a 38-year-old Catahoula Parish resident who had existing health problems, the first person known to die from the virus in central Louisiana — and the state's youngest recorded death from COVID-19.

Gov. John Bel Edwards, like other states' leaders, offered dire warnings Thursday to President Donald Trump. Edwards said a surge in new coronavirus cases filling hospital beds could push the state past its capacity to deliver health care in seven to 10 days — what he described as a worst-case scenario if residents don't actively decrease contact with others.

"Our trajectory is basically the same as what they had in Italy," the Democratic governor said.

Edwards has closed schools, shuttered bars and gyms and limited restaurants to takeout and delivery only. He's repeatedly called on people to stay home if possible.

The vast majority of people recover within weeks after catching the virus, and for most people, it causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. But for older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause severe illness requiring hospitalization.

Because of limited testing, public health officials have said most of these early positive tests for coronavirus in Louisiana involve people with serious symptoms who need more intensive health care treatment.

Tulane Health System in New Orleans was shutting down a suburban emergency room Friday to move staff to its downtown New Orleans campus to deal with “a surge of COVID-19 and suspected COVID-19 patients.” Other hospitals were canceling elective procedures to help free up space.

In addition to strained bed capacity, Edwards said health care facilities in Louisiana, like counterparts around the nation, were having difficulty getting medical equipment, particularly ventilators.

___

Deslatte reported from Baton Rouge, La.

___

The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

___

Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.