Pike County reported another death and 21 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, the same day state health officials identified 1,342 new infections and 42 more deaths.
Mississippi reached a record 22 deaths on a seven-day average, but Gov. Tate Reeves said he’s encouraged by changing behaviors.
“Mississippians are now taking this seriously,” he said. “Your sacrifice is saving lives.”
Tuesday’s report identified the state’s second-deadliest day since the virus was detected in Mississippi.
There have been 751 infections in Pike County and 29 deaths. People ages18-29 continued to have the highest number of cases in both Mississippi and Pike County.
Reeves and State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said coronavirus spread is driven by two factors: young people disregarding health guidelines and transmission between family members.
Dobbs said there is likely a correlation, as people between the ages of 18 and 29 account for nearly half of all cases and might spread the virus to relatives at events such as cookouts, family reunions and funerals.
“It’s family, and a lot of it’s extended family.” Dobbs said. “If we can’t stop it between family members, we’re really going to be in trouble.”
Nursing home outbreaks remain the major cause of increases in deaths, Dobbs said.
“Our nursing home outbreaks just skyrocketed since we had our lull in the end of May,” he said.
Despite the grave news, Reeves said he is hopeful that people will work to protect others.
“I am encouraged by the efforts I have seen by Mississippians to combat coronavirus,” he said, citing increased mask wearing in public around the state. “We must step up. We must increase those efforts.”
Reeves said he is opposed to closing bars and restaurants because of the livelihood they provide to their owners and employees.
“The vast majority of Mississippians are small business owners and people who work in small businesses,” he said.
Reeves said he will consider further restrictions or closing restaurants and bars that blatantly disregard guidelines, but he wants to avoid that.
State health officials are receiving complaints about restaurants across the state for just that reason.
“We’ve been visiting multiple restaurants so far,” Reeves said. “If a restaurant is absolutely unwilling to comply with standards, yes, absolutely we will shut it down.”
Dobbs noted the MSDH already does similar regulatory and health and safety work among restaurants, shutting down businesses for violations leading to outbreaks of salmonella and Hepatitis A, in recent memory.
Reeves noted that there’s a lag in changing behaviors and its effect on case counts.
“Nothing that we do today is going to have a significant impact until a week or two from now,” Reeves said. “That’s just the nature of the virus.”
In other news, head of the Public Utilities Staff and former state Sen. Sally Doty of Brookhaven announced a major broadband internet project to begin within the state using federal coronavirus relief funds and named southwest Mississippi a target area.
The Legislature appropriated $75 for expansion of broadband internet to unserved or underserved, largely rural areas to expand internet access at costs will be similar to other services available throughout the state.
Distance learning puts many rural students in a disadvantage as they don’t have access to proper resources or equipment, Reeves said.
