Live updates April 5: State’s COVID-19 cases jump, Jackson Co. reports 2 new deaths
2:10 p.m.
In case you missed it
Here are some stories you may have missed this week as COVID-19 stories poured in from across Mississippi and the region:
Unemployment claims spike in Harrison and Jackson Counties amid coronavirus
Q&A on Missississippi’s shelter-in-place order during coronavirus outbreak
COVID-19 killed this Mississippi couple married 50 years. They died holding hands
A Coast coach is vulnerable to coronavirus. Here’s how he’s navigating the outbreak
New Orleans has highest coronavirus death rate of all hard-hit areas in US, data shows
Crowd control at Walmart: You line up outside and ailes are one-way during pandemic
1:09 p.m.
A Mississippi sports writer with COVID-19 continues to fight for his life in an Oxford hospital.
David Johnson, who covers Ole Miss football for 247sports.com, has been on a ventilator in ICU since March 25.
Johnson’s daughter, Sydney, posted on Facebook that doctors told the family this week that he has only a 5 percent chance of surviving, but he appears to have shown some progress.
On Sunday, she gave an update on her dad’s status.
“We received the call this morning from his doctor, “Mr. Johnson has shown signs of improvement the last 48 hours. We are going to keep fighting,” Sydney wrote. “This whole process my dad has not been allowed any visitors. I begged for prayers on Friday that my dad did not feel alone during this. And that he knew how much we loved him because we couldn’t go tell him. Shortly after, the hospital called me. Since I had not come in contact with my parents in 2 weeks, they were going to allow me the option to come see my dad. This has been off the table the whole time, since my dad is contagious. I was able to sit with him for an hour. We FaceTimed my mom and siblings and everyone got to talk to him. He is sedated and paralyzed, but when we started speaking to him his heart monitor went crazy. I know he knows we were there.”
Sydney Johnson described her dad as still being in “very critical condition. The infection is still spreading all over his body. His lungs and kidneys are still failing.”
10:38 a.m.
The Mississippi Department of Health reported 183 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Sunday morning, including eight more deaths.
Sunday’s numbers marked the most single-day new cases and deaths announced by the department since it first started releasing a running tally on March 11. There have been 1,638 cases announced in Mississippi with 43 deaths.
Two of those new deaths were in Jackson County, which reports seven new cases, and Stone County announced its first case of COVID-19.
There were 19 new cases in the state’s southernmost six counties.
Hinds County continues to lead the state with 154 cases of COVID-19, but it has yet to report a death.
Total cases in South Mississippi counties are:
Harrison: 73.
Jackson: 86.
Hancock: 31.
Pearl River: 49.
George: 5.
Stone: 1.
9:37 a.m.
Free drive-up testing for COVID-19 will be available in Moss Point 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Monday across from city hall.
The location where the tests will take place is at 4320 McInnis Avenue in Moss Point.
Anyone experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 who feels they should be tested must first go through a free screening from a University of Mississippi Medical Center clinician through the C Spire Health UMMC Virtual COVID-19 Triage telehealth smartphone app.
Screening through the app is available 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
Residents who live near Moss Point will be given an appointment at the mobile collection site through the C Spire Health app if a medical provider determines they are at high risk of having COVID-19.
If you don’t have a smartphone, call (601) 496-7200.
People will be asked if they are experiencing symptoms including fever, cough, shortness of breath or sore throat.
If they are considered at a low risk for infection, you will receive instructions on social distancing, home isolation, self-case and told to call back if symptoms worsen.
At the collection site, healthcare workers in protective gear will approach the vehicle window to take specimens. Those being tested aren’t allowed to leave their vehicles.
UMMC will inform those tested of results and provide additional instructions.
If you are not experiencing systems, officials ask that you not visit the app or call.
Highlights from Saturday:
▪ The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 1,150 new deaths from COVID-19, by far the highest increase to date. Total number of novel coronavirus cases in the U.S. now stands at 277,205, with a total 6,593 deaths.
▪ The Mississippi Health Department reported 97 new cases of the novel coronavirus in the state Saturday morning, with six new deaths — two of those deaths in Harrison County and Pearl River County reported its first death.
Five South Mississippi counties have a total of 226 reported cases Saturday, up from 217 on Friday, with no cases reported in Stone County. The death toll was six in South Mississippi.
The total number of COVID-19 statewide was 1,455 statewide with 35 total deaths.
This story was originally published April 5, 2020 at 9:42 AM.