A select Louis Letlow, who died while fighting COVID-19, suffered a heart attack after a procedure, a hospital official said.
The 41-year-old man was treated in the intensive care unit at Ochsner LSU Health in Shreveport when he died on Tuesday, the Monroe News-Star reported.
The Chancellor of the LSU Health Shreveport, GE Ghali, confirmed that Letlow had undergone surgery related to the virus and was later in cardiac arrest.
“It’s devastating for our entire team,” Ghali told the newspaper, adding that he “had no underlying conditions.”
The Republican first announced that he had tested positive for the virus on Dec. 18, saying he would be quarantined in the Richland Parish home.
But his health began to deteriorate and on December 19 he was in the St. Francis Medical Center and then eventually transferred to Ochsner LSU Health.
Letlow is survived by his wife, Julia Barnhill Letlow, in addition to his two children, 3-year-old Jeremiah and 11-month-old Jacqueline, the newspaper reports.
“The family appreciates the numerous prayers and support over the past few days, but is asking for privacy during this difficult and unexpected time,” Letlow spokesman Andrew Bautsch said in a statement to the Monroe News-Star.
Letlow was to be sworn in to Congress on Sunday after winning Pelican State’s 5th district seat in a Dec. 5 race.