GOP Rep. Clay Higgins says he has COVID for second time

• This time round, the virus has "required all of my devoted energy," he said.
• "We are all under excellent care, and our prognosis is positive," Higgins added. "We are very healthy generally speaking, and our treatment of any health concern always encompasses western, eastern, and holistic variables."

Of note: Higgins has advocated for people to get inoculated against COVID-19, but hasn't publicly stated whether he has been vaccinated, per NBC News.

• He told Lake Charles, Louisiana, news outlet the Daily American in April that he believed he was "naturally immunized" because he had already contracted the virus.

The big picture: COVID-19 cases are again surging across the U.S. The seven-day average of new cases in Louisiana was up 67% to more than 1,500 as of July 20.

• The Delta variant is driving the spike in most places. In Louisiana, this strain is second to the Alpha variant, first detected in the U.K., according to Axios' Coronavirus Variant Tracker.
• Louisiana has seen a slower uptake in coronavirus vaccinations than other U.S. states, and fewer than 50% of the population had been vaccinated as of last month.

Go deeper: New Orleans issues indoor mask advisory amid surging COVID-19 cases

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.