Mississippi issues new public health advice after a record 2,457 new cases
State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs has issued new official public health guidance saying all Mississippians should avoid non-essential activities after the state saw a record spike in daily coronavirus cases Wednesday.
“All residents of Mississippi should avoid any social gathering that includes individuals outside of the nuclear family or household. MSDH recommends that Mississippians only participate in work, school or other absolutely essential activities.
MSDH recommends that all Mississippians protect themselves and their families by avoiding public or social gatherings such as the following:
- Social events or parties
- Family gatherings outside of the household or nuclear family
- Weddings
- Funerals (other than close family and preferably outdoors)
- Sporting events
- In-person church services”
“I think we’re heading into the darkest period of the coronavirus for Mississippi,” Dobbs said Wednesday.
Mississippi had its highest single-day increase in new coronavirus cases Wednesday, less than a week after the Thanksgiving holiday, with the state health department reporting a record 2,457 new cases.
There are 13 hospitals with no intensive care units available, and 20 with less than 10% ICU capacity, Dobbs said.
Residents who are not taking the virus as seriously as they should start reevaluating their position, he said, and take the necessary precautions to protect themselves and others from the virus.
“We’re looking at a really challenging situation with rapidly rising cases, and these are all cases that have been diagnosed in the recent past,” he said. “What’s additionally concerning right now is we are not at our peak ... and our hospitalizations are going at a rate that is absolutely terrifying.”
When asked if the number of coronavirus cases in the state are inflated based on a doctor’s suggestion that one person who tests positive three times is counted as a new case each time they get a positive result, Dobbs got angry.
“What a bunch of bull crap,” Dobbs said, raising his voice and showing a rare flash of anger. He said the doctor who suggested otherwise was “fanatically mad.”
“One (person) is a case,” he said. “If you test this person 3,000 times, it’s one case. Quit buying into this crazy nonsense. This is dangerous. People are dying. Quit making stupid excuses.”
The state’s seven-day average of new cases spiked as a result to the highest to date at 1604.57.
Though the number of coronavirus cases among Black residents was disproportionately higher early on in the pandemic, the state is now seeing a “dramatic shift” in cases among white people.
“The public health messaging has penetrated the Black community more effectively,” Dobbs said.
South Mississippi cases
Of the new cases, 268 are in the six southern counties in South Mississippi, with Harrison and Jackson counties seeing the largest increase in cases with a total of 173 between the two counties.
The state reported an additional 15 deaths, with one new death each in Harrison and Pearl River counties.
Here are the cases for each South Mississippi county:
George — 1,295 (12 new)
Hancock — 1,276 (33 new)
Harrison — 7,397 (84 new)
Jackson — 6,655 (89 new)
Pearl River — 1,589 (36 new)
Stone — 820 (14 new)
This story was originally published December 2, 2020 at 10:34 AM.
