Live updates April 14: MS has 13 new COVID-19 deaths and 35 new cases on the Coast
On a day when many people would be rushing to complete their taxes, South Mississippi instead is focused on the coronavirus numbers that today show 145 new cases and 13 more deaths in the state.
That’s the biggest single-day increase for COVID-19 deaths so far.
Mississippi Department of Health reports 35 new cases in South Mississippi but no new deaths in the six southern counties.
Stone County, which had no reported cases 10 days ago, now has 14.
Statewide there are 3,087 cases and 111 deaths.
South Mississippi has 441 cases and 23 deaths.
Totals for the six southern counties are:
George — 10 (2 new)
Hancock — 46 (6 new)
Harrison — 121 (9 new)
Jackson — 157 ( 10 new)
Pearl River — 93 (5 new)
Stone — 14 (3 new)
South Mississippi is especially hard hit by the coronavirus, according to the MSDH report. The six southern counties are 7% of the 82 counties in the state. Together they have 14% of the reported cases in the state and 21% of the deaths.
The report also shows 67% of those who died from coronavirus in the state are African American and 33% white. Women make up 59% of the cases in Mississippi.
5:38 p.m.
Gov. Tate Reeves announced Tuesday that the The Governor’s Commission for Economic Recovery will be asked to help chart a course for re-opening Mississippi’s economy.
The commission will look at each industry, geographical region and community to determine the impact on the state’s economy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We need Mississippians helping Mississippians,” Reeves said in a press release. “I have asked a trusted group of our state’s top business minds to do just that. Under the ‘Restart Mississippi’ umbrella, they are going to develop a series of recommendations and goals for our new economy. They will study the impact of COVID-19 on our workforce and small businesses. And they will help us recover — day by day.”
Joe Sanderson of Sanderson Farms has been asked to serve as the chairman of the commission. He will be joined by leaders representing the state’s different regions and industries.
The hope is that the commission will help determine a path forward to restart the state’s economy.
1:30 p.m.
Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula reported today a non-Ingalls employee, working on a ship at outfitting berth, has tested positive for the coronavirus. The worker’s last day in the yard was April 11. Ingalls has 18 cases of the virus with 3 cases in non-employees. Eight employees are now eligible to return to work.
1:20 p.m.
Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport will receive a $21 million grant from the federal government to help cover the cost of the economic disruption caused by the coronavirus.
U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., announced today that $34.9 million in grants will go to 73 Mississippi airfields as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Gulfport will receive the largest grant in the state. Stennis International in Hancock County and Trent Lott International in Jackson County will each receive $69,000, the Picayune Airport $30,000 and the Dean Griffin Airport in Wiggins $20,000.
12:30 p.m.
A glimmer of hope came from today’s report by the Centers for Disease Control as the number of additional deaths in the U.S. due to the coronavirus was 310. This is the first time since April 8 that daily deaths fell below 1,000 and is the lowest number this month. Total deaths now stand at 22,252.
The nation has seen 579,005 cases of coronavirus, a one-day increase of 24,156. That compares to an increase of 29,145 cases reported Monday and 33,288 more cases Sunday.
9:15 a.m.
A temporary Memorial Physician Clinic Drive-Up COVID-19 Screening and Testing site will be available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday in the parking lot at the Biloxi Civic Center at 578 Howard Ave.
Those who have been experiencing flu-like symptoms, body aches, fever, coughing, sneezing, chills or shortness of breath are urged to come get screened. Only those with symptoms will be tested for COVID-19.
Sick individuals are asked to stay in their vehicles and wait for assistance. Social distancing will be observed. Memorial will seek reimbursement for those who have medical insurance, but no out-of- pocket expense or co-pay is expected at the time of service. Those without insurance are asked to speak to the clinical staff to review options.
Last week 100 people came to a temporary clinic set up by Memorial in Gulfport to mitigate the spread of infection in the African American community. Additional temporary clinics will be set up and Memorial operates seven screening and testing locations. Call the COVID-19 Hotline at 228-867-5000 for locations.
9 a.m.
Walmart is launching a pickup hour for people most at-risk for COVID-19. Each day from 7 to 8 a.m. at select pickup store locations will be reserved for customers over the age of 60, first responders, customers with disabilities and anyone designated high-risk by the CDC. Customers will see a new prompt on the Walmart order page for selecting the slot listed as ‘At Risk Only’ and allows those who are eligible to opt in.
7 a.m.
Last week filmmaker and actor, Tyler Perry, paid for groceries during the senior and high-risk shopping hour for every every Winn-Dixie customer at 29 Winn-Dixie stores in Louisiana. On Monday, Winn-Dixie and parent company Southeastern Grocers paid it forward, paying for the groceries for customers at Winn-Dixie stores in Mississippi and all its stores during healthcare professionals and first responders shopping hour.
Highlights from Monday:
▪ Mississippi State Department of Health reported 2 deaths and 161 new cases. One of those deaths was in Pearl River County, bringing total deaths in South Mississippi to 23. There were 16 new cases in the six southern counties for a total of 406.
▪ The MSDH released a new total of the number of people tested for the coronavirus — 37,733 people have been tested, 9,412 by the state lab and 28,321 by private labs.
▪ Gov. Tate Reeves declared another state of emergency Sunday after 12 tornadoes hit different areas of the state. He said there were at least 11 dead, more injured and tens of thousands without power. Winds reached up to 200 mph in spots and affected 30 counties.
“We are used to tornadoes in Mississippi,” he said. “No one is used to this.”
▪ The governor also reiterated that his shelter-in-place order is still set to expire in a week, at 8 a.m. Sunday, April 20. He said officials will discuss this week at when to starting relaxing restrictions, and “we will discuss our plans for schools (Tuesday).” When asked, Reeves did not mention the possibility of extending the statewide shelter-in-place order, but said it could be extended in certain hard-hit areas.
▪ State Health Officer Thomas Dobbs said the state is “going into a peak phase” for use of resources, and he provided numbers on how many patients are in intensive care units and using ventilators compared to how many are available. As of April 12, 124 patients were in ICU’s with 206 more ICU beds available, and 84 patients were on ventilators with 496 more ventilators available.
▪ The BX and Commissary at Keesler Air Force Base will be open to retirees, their dependents and Veteran Healthcare ID cardholders on Tuesdays and Thursdays only, until further notice. Cloth face coverings are required to enter the BX and commissary for all patrons.
▪ The Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport released the name of the civilian employee who died of COVID-19.
Carol Jackson, a child-care worker at the Child Development Center at Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, self-identified as a high-risk person for the virus and went on administrative leave after March 23, the military base said in a press release. She did not display symptoms until March 30 when she went to Forest General Hospital Urgent Care and was admitted to the ICU. Her positive test result came back April 1.
“Her memory will live on with the children she has influenced within the child and youth program with her kind and caring soul,” said Capt. Bill Whitmire, commanding officer of the NCBC.
▪ A federal grant is allowing the Mississippi Department of Mental Health and Mississippi State University to offer online training on youth suicide prevention. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among Mississippians ages 10-24 years old, DMH said in a press release. The Alliance Project training can be found on YouTube at https://youtu.be/pRKecOce7AA and the DMH Facebook page, www.facebook.com/dmhmississippi.
“Social distancing does not mean we should be disconnected,” said Dr. Michael Nadorff with the MSU Department of Psychology. “This is a great time to reach out to your friends and loved ones, particularly those who may be struggling, as they may not reach out to you otherwise.”
This story was originally published April 14, 2020 at 10:36 AM.