Mississippi has six confirmed cases of coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, with two people in North Mississippi being monitored after coming in “close contact” with someone in Tennessee who tested positive with the virus, according to new reports.
According to the Mississippi Department of Health, two of Mississippi’s confirmed cases are males from Forrest County, each of whom traveled to South Florida. Both are now self-isolating at home. A third case in Forrest County is a woman over the age of 65, a demographic the Center for Disease Control considers high-risk. Two other women, from Pearl River and Copiah counties, also both over 65, have tested positive for the virus and have been hospitalized.
A sixth case was discovered Friday in Leflore County. That individual is self-isolated at home.
COVID-19 first emerged in Wuhan City in China’s Hubei Province, with initial cases having links to a large seafood and animal market. The virus was reportedly transmitted from animal to human and now continues to spread from human to human.
The virus spread to tens of thousands in China, with widespread transmission also reported in South Korea, Iran, and Italy.
The first case of COVID-19 in the United States was reported on January 21.
On March 11, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Pandemics are typically classified by two criteria — being a new virus and being capable of person-to-person spread. Because there is no vaccine and it is highly contagious, these viruses have an increased likelihood that a global pandemic will result.
As of today, March 14, there have been 143,247 cases of COVID-19 confirmed and 5,407 deaths worldwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
The virus is transmitted person-to-person through droplets of body fluid that leave the body of an infected person via coughs or sneezes, similar to how the flu is transmitted. Symptoms of the virus are fever, cough, and shortness of breath, with potential complications including pneumonia and death.
Health officials say most people who are infected with the illness suffer a “mild” case, but for some - especially those older than 65 and those with chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease - the infection can be more serious, potentially leading to hospitalization and/or death.
In a public release, Mississippi State Health Officer Thomas Dobbs recommended limiting long-term care visitors and mass social gatherings.
“We know that this virus is easily spread person-to-person, so we recommend limiting visitations and discontinuing any group social activities in long-term care facilities,” Dobbs said.
He also recommended that communities and organizations take specific steps in determining if mass gatherings should be canceled.
“Our older population and chronically ill individuals should protect themselves by avoiding gatherings of more than 250 people,” he said.
University and college closings
This past week, eight of Mississippi’s colleges and universities extended spring break by one week to allow faculty time to prepare to provide instruction remotely, and classes will be held online for the rest of the semester. The NCAA has canceled all spring sports, including the NCAA basketball tournament and the College World Series.
Holmes Community College President Dr. Jim Haffey released the following statement: “Holmes CC will cancel classes on Monday March 16, and Tuesday, March 17, for students taking classes on campus.
Students currently enrolled in online courses will continue as normal. Students are strongly encouraged to check their student email daily for updates.
Dual credit classes will continue as normal following the local high school schedule.
At this time, classes will resume on March 18 in an online or alternative format until at least Monday, March 23. Every effort will be made to accommodate students during this period. Dorms will only be open March 16-18 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to accommodate students needing to access their rooms for educational supplies.
Common areas such as libraries, food service, computer labs, and athletic facilities will be closed.
The Mississippi Association of Community Colleges has announced that all athletic practices and games have been suspended through March 30.
All campus activities and events outside of the classroom at Holmes CC have been canceled until further notice.”
Local school closings
Both the Kosciusko and Attala County school districts, which were slated to return from spring break on Monday, have announced schools will be closed for the entire week of March 16-20, with a possible return on Monday, March 23.
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