Coronavirus live updates April 23: Mississippi tops 5,000 cases and 200 deaths

Coronavirus deaths in Mississippi topped 200 today and total cases reached more than 5,000.

Mississippi State Department of Health reported 259 new cases in the state for a total of 5,153. Eight more deaths were reported, for a total of 201 since March 11.

One of those deaths was in Pearl River County, where there now are 11 deaths reported, bringing the total to 29. Jackson and Harrison counties each have 6 deaths, Hancock County has 5 and George County has 1.

South Mississippi had 17 additional cases reported for a total of 609.

Total cases in South Mississippi are:

George — 10 (0 new)

Hancock — 55 (1 new)

Harrison — 152 (2 new)

Jackson — 228 (7 new)

Pearl River — 142 (6 new)

Stone — 22 (1 new)

George County hasn’t has a new case in six days. It has taken roughly 20 days for coronavirus cases to double in Hancock County, 18 days in Harrison County, 15 days in Jackson County and 14 days in Pearl River County and 10 days in Stone County.

Nationwide the Centers for Disease Control reported 25,858 new COVID-19 cases, down for the second straight day, and 1,804 deaths, down from 2,817 on Wednesday. The U.S. now has 828,441 cases and 46,379 deaths since the pandemic began.

3:52 p.m.

Gov. Tate Reeves faced questions Thursday during his daily press conference about the frustrations that many Mississippians are experiencing as they try to apply for unemployment benefits.

Many complaints have involved a call line and applicants struggling to get through.

“I’m sorry that has happened if it has happened,” Reeves said. “I feel certain that it has. The demand is overwhelming. We went from less than 1,000 up to 45,000 new claims last week. We did have a down tick. The numbers that came out today showed approximately 35,000 new people got online and were successful in filing unemployment insurance. We’re continuing to ramp up the number of people.

“With our announcement two days with the (Pandemic Unemployment Assistance) now being in our computer system, it has put additional stress on the system. We’ll continue to build capacity there. Please be patient. We are working hard to get that line fixed.”

Mississippians who are self-employed and were previously unable to receive unemployment benefits can now apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, the Mississippi Department of Employment Security announced on Tuesday.

Self-employed people, gig economy workers, independent contracts, people employed by a church or religious organization and employees of non-profit organizations are among those who may now be eligible to receive unemployment benefits. Also, if you previously had insufficient funds to file an unemployment claim, you may also be eligible.

10:15 a.m.

Biloxi School District announced that graduation will be divided into about 9 sessions, with 40 students graduating per session on May 18, 19 and 20.

The ceremonies will be in the Biloxi High School Sports Arena, where the district says 40 families can be spaced out in the bleachers. Graudates will be spaced out in seating on the arena floor.

Each graduate can bring no more than 6 immediate family members. Students will walk the stage to get their diplomas. As graduates cross the stage, their image, scholarships, and awards will be displayed on a screen behind the stage but not announced.

A professional videographer will film all sessions and compile them into a single ceremony that will be provided free to all graduates.

At the conclusion of each session, graduates can go to the BHS courtyard to ring the bell, a tradition that BHS students have celebrated for many years (gloves and sanitizer will be available).

A professional photographer will be available to take pictures of graduates and families. At the conclusion of each session, crews will properly sanitize facilities to prepare for the next set of graduates.

7:30 a.m.

C Spire is providing free, high-speed WiFi internet in the parking lot of its company retail store in Gulfport so students can access online education content from their cars.

The store is at 9277 U.S. 49 and the WiFi is available during normal business hours. The service also is available in 16 other markets, including the D’Iberville store at The Promenade.

7 a.m.

Singing River Health System last night reported 1 new case of coronavirus. CEO Lee Bond said the hospital has no way to know for sure how many cases are active.

The hospitals has had 198 cases and he said, “based on the curves in the graphs, the position in the progression of those persons in the disease process, combined with using national data estimates for the unknown but imputed ‘related’ cases that may not be recorded or reported, we would estimate that there are likely between 250 to 350 active cases in our county.”

Wednesday highlights

▪ Six weeks since the first coronavirus death was reported in Mississippi, the state Health Department reported 178 new cases and 10 deaths statewide.

The report shows 193 people across the state have died of the coronavirus since the first death was reported on March 11. One of those new deaths was reported in Harrison County, bringing the total in the six counties of South Mississippi to 28 deaths. Pearl River County has 10 deaths, Jackson and Harrison counties 6, Hancock 5 and George 1. There are no coronavirus deaths in Stone County.

▪ Gov. Tate Reeves again said Wednesday that he was prepared to gradually loosen some of the guidelines under his shelter-in-place order, including those for the business community.

“There’s no such thing as an nonessential business for those who rely on them to help provide food, supplies and shelter for every single one of their employees,” Reeves said during a press conference. “We cannot eliminate layoffs or economic problems. People are changing behavior on their own and that is going to continue to make it difficult for many small business. We can, however, do everything in our power to limit those instances where an order from the government prevents a Mississippian from providing for themselves.”

▪ Merit Health Biloxi reported 9 positive coronavirus cases and 7 pending out of 195 tested on Wednesday.

CEO Tom McDougal said elective outpatient surgeries are scheduled to resume Monday, pending any new recommendations from Gov. Tate Reeves. New COVID-19 screening will be required for all surgical cases going forward. If a patient tests positive on the lab test, the surgery will be delayed unless it is emergency surgery.

▪ Gautier City Council on Tuesday voted to amend its April 1 order and loosen the restrictions on the number of customers allowed inside local stores at one time.

Businesses with 100,000 square feet or larger now can have 100 customers in the store at a time. This brings Lowe’s more in line with D’Iberville regulations, which allow 98 customers in the Lowe’s store there. Gulfport also reduced the number of customers to 5% of total occupancy normally allowed. Biloxi Council chose not to limit the number of customers at Home Depot.

▪ Due to inclement weather expected on Thursday, the temporary Memorial Physician Clinic Drive-Up COVID-19 Screening and Testing site at the Lyman Community Center on U.S. 49 in Gulfport has been rescheduled. It now will be held Saturday from 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

This story was originally published April 23, 2020 at 10:27 AM.