COVID Cases Up To 84 In Yalobusha
There was a slow increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the county that started in late March until a spike in mid-May. There have been nine new cases reported in the county during the last week. (Source: voro.com)
WATER VALLEY – The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Yalobusha County has grown to 84, an increase of nine during the last week according to the latest statistics from Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH). The agency also reported one new death in the county on Monday, pushing the total number of deaths in Yalobusha to five. All five deaths are reported in a long-term care facility.
Statewide the number has grown to 652 deaths and 13,731 positive cases of the virus. Of the total cases, MSDH reports that 9,401 are presumed recovered as of May 24. This figure includes people never hospitalized who have not tested positive for COVID-19 in 14 days or more. It also includes cases in which there was a known hospitalization, or hospitalization was unknown, and it has been 21 days or more since the case tested positive.
The local statistics include an outbreak at Yalobusha Nursing Home that was first reported on May 11 with one positive case. By May 13 the number had jumped to 24 residents following testing done in accordance with MSDH guidelines. On Tuesday the nursing home reported the first new case in almost two weeks, pushing the number to 25. The nursing home hotline also reported eight staff members have tested positive for the virus.
MSDH reports long-term care facilities like nursing homes are considered high risk locations because their residents are older or in poor health. One case of COVID-19 in these facilities among residents or employees is considered an outbreak. Long-term care facilities also include intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities, personal care homes, assisted living facilities, long-term acute care facilities, and psychiatric or chemical dependency residential treatment centers.
MSDH continues to advise all Mississippi residents to cover their face (mouth and nose) with a non-medical grade mask or cloth when leaving the home to perform essential functions such as grocery shopping, filling prescriptions and in other public places where proper social distancing of six feet between persons is difficult to maintain.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, a significant portion of individuals with the coronavirus do not have symptoms (asymptomatic) and can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms just by speaking, coughing or sneezing. The CDC also reported a face mask can be made from a T-Shirt, small towel or scarf folded and fastened with two rubber bands.
The reported COVID-19 case totals for counties surrounding Yalobusha include:
• Calhoun – 60 cases, 4 deaths
• Lafayette – 126 cases, 4 deaths
• Grenada – 78 cases, 2 deaths
• Panola – 64 cases, 2 deaths
• Tallahatchie – 24 cases, 1 death
