Mississippi’s top health official said hospitalizations are “skyrocketing” as the number of COVID-19 cases rise.The Mississippi State Department of Health reported 1,908 new COVID-19 cases and four additional deaths. Dr. Thomas Dobbs said the number of hospitalizations and patients in the ICU are increasing, and the hospitalized patients are younger compared to last year at this time.Mississippi health leaders said during a media briefing Wednesday that hospitals in some areas of the state are struggling to keep up with the demands of the latest surge of COVID-19 patients. As of Thursday, when hospital beds become full, patients will be rotated to other hospitals in the state, according to Jim Craig, state director of health protection.Doctor Mark Horne said the hospital systems were already somewhat full with the normal cases the facilities see.“We are now back into the thick of it and it’s looking worse by the day,” said Dr. Horne. “We see a lot of younger people getting very, very sick and some are dying.” In addition, MSDH will order hospitals to delay certain elective procedures that require overnight stays beginning Aug. 1 until Aug. 15, Craig said.Mississippi health officials said they support new guidelines that recommend mask mandates in schools.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released revised guidelines Tuesday calling for students, staff and school visitors to wear masks indoors, regardless of their vaccination status.”It is likely that we will be aligning our guidance with CDC guidelines, as well,” said state epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers. Dobbs agreed, saying the Mississippi State Department of Health supports the CDC’s recommendation. A spokeswoman for Gov. Tate Reeves said the governor “has no intention of requiring students and staff to wear masks when they’re in school this fall.” Dobbs said a Mississippi teenager died of COVID-19. The teen had an underlying medical condition, but Dobbs said that condition is common among Mississippians. The teenager is the fourth Mississippi child to die from the virus since the pandemic began, Dobbs said. Dobbs said there has been a “rapid increase in cases,” and almost all are likely the delta variant. Dobbs said because the delta variant is twice as contagious, it’s difficult to control the spread. Byers said the number of cases are not leveling off. He said there has been an increase in testing and in positive COVID-19 cases statewide. Byers said there has been a minimal increase in the number of people getting vaccinated in Mississippi. He said there are still low rates of vaccination in young people in the 12-17 and 18-24 age groups. Health officials encourage people who are most at risk to get a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.Byers said the vaccine is effective against the delta variant and in preventing sickness.
JACKSON, Miss. —
Mississippi’s top health official said hospitalizations are “skyrocketing” as the number of COVID-19 cases rise.
The Mississippi State Department of Health reported 1,908 new COVID-19 cases and four additional deaths. Dr. Thomas Dobbs said the number of hospitalizations and patients in the ICU are increasing, and the hospitalized patients are younger compared to last year at this time.
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Mississippi health leaders said during a media briefing Wednesday that hospitals in some areas of the state are struggling to keep up with the demands of the latest surge of COVID-19 patients. As of Thursday, when hospital beds become full, patients will be rotated to other hospitals in the state, according to Jim Craig, state director of health protection.
Doctor Mark Horne said the hospital systems were already somewhat full with the normal cases the facilities see.
“We are now back into the thick of it and it’s looking worse by the day,” said Dr. Horne. “We see a lot of younger people getting very, very sick and some are dying.”
In addition, MSDH will order hospitals to delay certain elective procedures that require overnight stays beginning Aug. 1 until Aug. 15, Craig said.
Mississippi health officials said they support new guidelines that recommend mask mandates in schools.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released revised guidelines Tuesday calling for students, staff and school visitors to wear masks indoors, regardless of their vaccination status.
“It is likely that we will be aligning our guidance with CDC guidelines, as well,” said state epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers.
Dobbs agreed, saying the Mississippi State Department of Health supports the CDC’s recommendation.
A spokeswoman for Gov. Tate Reeves said the governor “has no intention of requiring students and staff to wear masks when they’re in school this fall.”
Dobbs said a Mississippi teenager died of COVID-19. The teen had an underlying medical condition, but Dobbs said that condition is common among Mississippians. The teenager is the fourth Mississippi child to die from the virus since the pandemic began, Dobbs said.
Dobbs said there has been a “rapid increase in cases,” and almost all are likely the delta variant. Dobbs said because the delta variant is twice as contagious, it’s difficult to control the spread.
Byers said the number of cases are not leveling off. He said there has been an increase in testing and in positive COVID-19 cases statewide.
Byers said there has been a minimal increase in the number of people getting vaccinated in Mississippi. He said there are still low rates of vaccination in young people in the 12-17 and 18-24 age groups. Health officials encourage people who are most at risk to get a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Byers said the vaccine is effective against the delta variant and in preventing sickness.