Confirmed cases of the coronavirus are rapidly increasing in Mississippi, including five new cases in Marion County reported on Tuesday.
Across the state there are a total of 1,915, including 13 in Marion County, and a total of 59 deaths as of press-time Tuesday. That is an increase of 738 cases since the numbers were released Friday.
According to Gov. Tate Reeves at a press conference on Monday, Mississippi is expected to peak in resource use around April 18.
“Plan for the worst, pray for the best and expect something in between,” Reeves said at the press conference.
Reeves said he believes the last two weeks in April will be the worst for the state. He presented a plan Monday to help prepare for the anticipated surge in the cases of COVID-19, including the most severe cases being treated at the larger hospitals and working with rural hospitals to handle cases that have not reached the severe point or are past the critical stage but still needing medical attention before being discharged.
In addition, Reeves announced that Camp Shelby in Hattiesburg is being equipped to handle 200 additional beds for South Mississippi if needed. He is also working on a location in the northern part of the state as well but that location is still undecided.
“I’m not telling you today that we’re going to need these 200 beds in North Mississippi or these 200 beds in South Mississippi,” he added. “I’m telling you that our approach is we would rather have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.”
On Sunday President Trump approved a “Major Disaster Declaration” for Mississippi making federal emergency aid available to the state.
On Monday, the Center for Disease Control along with MEMA announced the recommendation of wearing cloth face masks in public.
Locally, Emergency Management Director Aaron Greer said the county is getting low on PPE (personal protection equipment) and is need of gloves, masks and gowns.
