Live updates April 15: Coast sees big jump in coronavirus cases, with 25 new in Jackson County
Five weeks since the first positive case of coronavirus in Mississippi, the state saw the biggest jump in cases to date, with 273 more positive cases in the state and 25 new cases just in Jackson County.
Mississippi Department of Health reported 11 more deaths in the last day and for the third straight day there are no additional deaths in South Mississippi.
In the six counties of South Mississippi, there are 44 new cases, the second highest one-day increase. The previous high is 45 cases on April 3.
Jackson County now has 53 more positive cases than Harrison County. This may be the state numbers reconciling with the local counts, since Singing River Health System reports 8 more positive cases in the last day. That brings the total positives at SRHS to 168 with more than 1,500 COVID-19 tests performed to date, said CEO Lee Bond.
Jackson County residents who are tested in other locations also are counted in Jackson County.
Totals for the state are 3,360 cases of coronavirus since March 11 and 122 deaths.
Totals for South Mississippi are:
George — 8 (0 new)
Hancock — 49 (3 new)
Harrison — 129 (8 new)
Jackson — 182 (25 new)
Pearl River — 102 (9 new)
Stone — 15 (1 new)
5:30 p.m.
Governor Tate Reeves announced he will not have a press briefing on Thursday. The governor will be attending a meeting with the other governors President Donald Trump and the COVID-19 task force. Trump said during Wednesday’s White House press conference he wants to reopen some states before May 1.
Friday’s press conference will be held at 9 a.m. Reeves said that’s when he will announce the state’s decision on the shelter-in-place order that Is set to expire on Monday, April 20.
3:30 p.m.
Mississippi Community College Foundation has received a grant of $310,000 from the Woodward Hines Education Foundation to Mississippi community college students impacted by COVID-19 stay on track toward graduation.
The grant will establish student relief funds at all 15 Mississippi community colleges. Money can be used to help students with the costs associated with in-home internet access, fuel cards, credential fee stipends, to establish campus tablet or computer loan programs, or other costs that may be a barrier to college completion.
Each community college will be setting up their own process for using the funds. Specific information will then go out to students from the college.
2:45 p.m.
Governor Tate Reeves announced further efforts to support homeowners and first responders during the COVID-19 outbreak.
With the Mississippi Home Corporation (MHC) and Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS), Reeves is providing mortgage assistance for homeowners and emergency childcare for essential personnel and first responders.
“We are in the middle of a fight for our state,” Reeves said during his afternoon news conference “ . . . Please stay strong. Stay in the fight.”
2:30 p.m.
State superintendent Dr. Carey Wright said that as Mississippi schools will be physically closed for the rest of the school year, this is the time for the state and districts to “shift gears” in how they provide education.
Wright said she supports the governor’s decision to close schools for the remainder of the year.
“It was the best decision for the safety of our students, staff, parents and community,” Wright said on Wednesday’s conference call with media.
The state’s districts are currently adjusting to distance learning, with a majority doing both online instruction and paper packets for students. One of the biggest obstacles the state faces for distance learning is access to internet for rural areas of the state.
“There are pockets in our rural communities without access to internet,” Wright said. “This is something we will need to address as a state.”
This is an issue that the governor’s task force is likely to address, Wright said. She noted this could still be something that the schools will have to do going into the fall if needed. Wright said that the state will give guidance packets to districts to help figure out what the schools need and how to provide distance learning.
The state has been approved multiple waivers that includes testing and required number days of school. Wright said that many districts are already considering continued education through the summer and into the fall to keep students from falling behind.
For the graduating seniors, the schools closing means a change from traditional graduations. Wright said that the districts will make decisions on graduations or alternatives on a district-by-district basis.
“There are some districts who are looking to do graduation in the late summer or even looking to the fall,” Wright said. “Everyone is sensitive to this and wants our seniors to be honored.”
1 p.m.
After being down on Tuesday, the number of additional deaths from coronavirus rose again Wednesday across the U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control reported today 24,582 new cases and 2,330 additional deaths. On Tuesday there were 24,156 cases and 310 deaths.
Totals are 605,390 cases and 24,582 deaths nationwide since the pandemic began.
12:30 p.m.
University of Mississippi Medical Center announced it is conducting clinical research and trials on how to treat the coronavirus. UMMC will launch as many as nine clinical studies in the next two weeks, mostly focused on inpatient treatment strategies for COVID-19.
UMMC will be one of 44 sites conducting a trial to study hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for inpatients with COVID-19. UMMC began screening patients this week and enrolled its first participant April 14.
12 p.m.
Although checks began hitting bank accounts last week, tens of millions of individual stimulus payments are set to go out this week.
If you’re wondering where your money might be, you can check a website launched Wednesday by the Internal Revenue Service to help track the status of their coronavirus stimulus payments.
The coronavirus stimulus law passed recently by Congress includes $1,200 checks for Americans who make less than $75,000, plus $500 for each dependent child.
The IRS said people who put direct deposit information on their 2018 or 2019 tax return will have the money sent straight to their accounts. Those who receive paper checks for may end up waiting a while longer to get the thier payment in the mail.
11:30 a.m.
Gulfport extended its curfew due to the coronavirus until further notice, the mayor’s office has announced. The curfew runs from 11 p.m. until 5 a.m. daily.
9:30 a.m.
The Jackson George Regional Library System is offering story time for children Tuesdays at 6 p.m. and Thursdays at 11 a.m., on Facebook Live, along with other free classes and programs.
Anyone in the area can ask for a library card for using digital services by sending an e-mail to getacard@jgrls.org. Electronic services such as eBooks, audio books, magazines and language learning are available at www.jgrls.org.
8 a.m.
The Small Business Administration reports the Paycheck Protection Program managed through the SBA has funded $248 billion in more than 1 million loans to small businesses across the country.
As of Monday, Mississippi banks helped process 14,209 loans valued at $1.9 billion to Mississippi small businesses through this program.
The report from the SBA shows that on a national level 70% of these loans are for $150,000 or less. The top five industries receiving funds are: construction; professional, scientific and technical services; manufacturing; health care and social assistance, and accommodation and food services.
Highlights from Monday:
▪ There were 145 new cases and 13 more deaths reported in Mississippi on Tuesday.
The Mississippi Department of Health reported 35 new cases in South Mississippi but no new deaths in the six southern counties.
▪ Gov. Tate Reeves announced Tuesday that school buildings will remain closed for the rest of the the current school year.
He also said 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.
▪ 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.
▪ 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.
This story was originally published April 15, 2020 at 10:35 AM.