Social distancing and shelter-in-place seem to be working
Attached to this update is a graph produced by the Department of Health that shows that our social distancing and shelter-in-place guidelines seem to have worked in flattening the rate of the outbreak.
As we have said all along, we know people are going to get sick, but we just do not want them to all get sick at the same time.
By implementing social distancing and the shelter-in-place order, we have controlled the outbreak so that not everyone got sick at the same time.
This has helped prevent an overrun on our healthcare system and has allowed us to treat everyone who needs treatment.
Hopefully, this has helped reduce the number of cases and save lives.
Even so, big numbers on Saturday and Sunday
300 new cases were reported on Saturday, the highest one-day total yet.
238 new cases were reported on Sunday.
The major concerns about this are that people are relaxing social distancing recommendations.
Other concerns are facilities where people are in congregate settings such as nursing homes and retirement homes.
We must remember that, if the shelter-in-place order is to be relaxed, we must continue to maintain social distancing recommendations.
If we have a relapse so to speak and numbers begin to spike again, the shelter-in-place order may be extended.
If we wish to return to normal as soon as possible, we must continue to be respectful and obedient to the social distancing recommendations.
Current status of hospitalizations
The Department of Health is now charting daily hospitalizations for COVID-19 on their website.
This is an important measure of the severity of the outbreak and the impact it has on Mississippians and our medical care system.
Currently, there are 359 patients in hospital care for COVID-19, with 189 of these in intensive care.
The reported number of confirmed COVID-19 hospitalized patients had increased by 5 since the day before.
However, the number of hospitalized suspected cases had decreased by 40 patients since the day before.
The number of COVID patients in an ICU and patients on ventilators also decreased.
The number of available (unoccupied) ICU beds was 300 and the number of reserve capacity ICU beds was 382 for a total ICU capacity of 682 beds.
The number of reported available ventilators is 684 and the number of reserve capacity ventilators is 663 for a total ventilator capacity of 1,347 units.
Update on number of cases.
238 new cases reported yesterday.
Total cases statewide now number 4,512.
Unfortunately, we now have 169 deaths.
77 outbreaks in long-term care facilities.
Call if you need help.
We have had phone calls to our office forwarded to our staff. If you need any help at all, please call us at 601-359-3300.
We have also set up an email address for you to ask questions or seek help. That address is [email protected].
