The Mississippi Department Of Public Health reports 16 new cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus as of March 19, 2020, bringing the total known cases to 50.
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JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi public schools will be closed until at least April 17 to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, Gov. Tate Reeves said Thursday.
He said schools will continue to receive state money and teachers will continue to be paid. He said he wants students to continue learning.
“This is not a time to take a vacation,” Reeves said in a Facebook live presentation from the Governor’s Mansion.
Reeves said he will also relax end-of-year testing requirements and school accountability measures. He said the state Board of Education will have “maximum flexibility” to waive rules.
Mississippi reported 50 confirmed cases of the virus as of Thursday, up from 34 Wednesday. The state Health Department said 602 people had been tested in Mississippi by Thursday.
The vast majority of people infected with this novel coronavirus get only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, and recover in about two weeks. But many will need hospitalization — particularly vulnerable are older adults and those with existing health problems who can develop severe complications, including pneumonia.
Some communities in Mississippi are temporarily shutting down bars and telling restaurants to close their dining rooms to try to slow the spread of the virus.
Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba issued an order prohibiting gatherings of 10 or more people.
“The city of Jackson does not have the luxury of a wait-and-see approach to the coronavirus pandemic,” the order says.
The University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson working to develop its own coronavirus test amid high demand for test kits nationwide, and it is increasing its telehealth capacity to screen patients remotely.
The medical center’s head of emergency medicine, Dr. Alan Jones, said it’s “very important” that people not go to an emergency room if they think they have symptoms. Instead, they should first use a telephone or telehealth service to get advice on what to do.
“We are ramping up all of our contingency planning to prepare for a tidal wave of patients that we know is about to hit us,” Jones said Wednesday.
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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a matter of days, millions of Americans have seen their lives upended by measures to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.
Normally bustling streets are deserted as families hunker down in their homes. Many of those who do venture out try to stay a safe distance from anyone they encounter, even as they line up to buy now-precious commodities like hand sanitizer. Parents juggle childcare as schools close, perhaps for the rest of the school year. And restaurants and bars sit empty as more and more convert to delivery-only options.
How long will this last? Scientists say there isn’t a simple answer.
“In many ways, this situation is unprecedented – we’re trying to take some actions to curb the spread and timing of this pandemic,” said Stephen Morse, a disease researcher at Columbia University in New York.
Yes, there have been past disease outbreaks that scientists can draw some lessons from but, in those cases, the disease was largely allowed to run its course. “So those models don’t precisely apply,” Morse said.
On Monday, President Donald Trump said the U.S. may be managing the outbreak through July or August. And New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the state’s number of coronavirus cases may peak – not end – in 45 days.
The overall message is that the country will be fighting the virus outbreak for a matter of months, at least, not days or weeks.
Each model of how the disease could spread relies on data and assumptions about population dynamics, demographics, health care capacity and other factors, said Rebecca Katz, a public health expert at Georgetown University.
The challenge for designing models of what will happen next in the U.S. is that limited testing for COVID-19 means researchers don’t know what the starting point is — how many people are already infected.
In simplest terms, scientists say that the epidemic will slow when people with infections don’t pass the virus on to others.
“Basically, if I infect one other person or more … then the epidemic can take off. If I infect less than one person and everybody infects less than one person, then the epidemic will decline,” said Elizabeth Halloran, a disease researcher at the University of Washington.
Based on data from China and from cruise ships, scientists estimate that unless measures are taken to limit the spread, each infected person will infect about 2 or 3 others, leading to an exponential growth of the virus.
If the virus makes a jump to new person every two to five days, as scientists calculate, then a single infected person could lead to 4,142 total infections within a month — assuming nothing is done to break chains of transmission.
Unless such measures are put in place, scientists estimate that between 40 and 80% of the global population could become infected. Based on an analysis of data from China, scientists found that the majority of new infections are transmitted by people with mild symptoms who may not even know they’re ill, said Jeffrey Shaman, a public health expert at Columbia University.
Even if most people recover and only a fraction of total infections are severe enough to require hospitalization — about 14%, scientists estimate — the sheer scale of the epidemic will put enormous strain on hospitals, healthcare workers and other patients who may see unrelated procedures delayed.
Scientists now agree that measures to break or slow the chains of transmission are crucial to ensure that emergency rooms aren’t quickly overwhelmed by surges in critically ill patients.
If measures like closing schools are successful in slowing disease spread, “we are going to see a hump instead of a peak” in new cases, U.S. government disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said in a White House briefing.
In other words, the number of infections will rise more gradually and manageably. But that also means the duration of the outbreak will be prolonged.
“The point of the restrictions we have is actually to stretch this out even longer. We don’t want a big peak to come very quickly,” said Mark Jit, a disease researcher at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. “It’s not like a Hollywood movie with a clear ending where everyone is saved, or everyone dies, quickly.”
So how does this end?
Most scientists believe the fight against COVID-19 won’t be over until there’s an effective vaccine. But Fauci and other experts say it will be more than a year before a vaccine can be ready for widespread use.
“The best-case scenario is that we have vaccine in 12 or 18 months and then our lives go back to normal,” Jit said. “The worst-case scenario it takes a long time for a vaccine to be developed, and the world is really changed and our lives aren’t the same again.”
While we wait, are we all shut-ins for more than a year? Almost no one thinks that’s realistic.
“I don’t think we can maintain social distancing as it is right now for the duration of the epidemic,” said Michael Levy, a University of Pennsylvania disease researcher.
What may be more feasible is a plan for intermittent restrictions and enhanced monitoring to control the disease, an idea explored in a new study from researchers at Imperial College London. Once the number of new cases falls below a certain threshold, schools, offices and restaurants could reopen. But if the number of infections spikes again, restrictions would be reinstated.
“The analogy of pumping car brakes on an icy road is what we should be thinking about,” Levy said. “You push on the brakes to slow things down, then ease up – but if you skid, you have to pump the brakes again.”
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Follow Christina Larson on Twitter: @larsonchristina
Smith reported from Providence, R.I.
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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
There’s a rare glimmer of hope for the rest of the world as it battles the coronavirus pandemic: Chinese authorities said Thursday that Wuhan, the former epicenter that initially suffered thousands of cases a day, and its surrounding province had no new cases to report.
It also underscores just how much the outbreak has pivoted toward Europe, the United States and the Middle East.
Here are some of AP’s top stories Thursday on the world’s coronavirus pandemic. Follow APNews.com/VirusOutbreak for updates through the day:
WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY:
— Inequality in testing has become a major contentious issue with accusations the rich and famous are jumping the line. Celebrities, politicians and professional athletes faced a backlash this week as several revealed that they had been tested for the coronavirus, even when they didn’t have a fever or other symptom.
— Americans are increasingly worried they or a loved one will be infected by the coronavirus, with two-thirds now saying they’re at least somewhat concerned — up from less than half who said so a month ago. That’s according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research that finds about 3 in 10 Americans say they’re not worried at all.
— Factories in China, struggling to reopen after the coronavirus shut down the economy, face a new threat from U.S. anti-disease controls that might disrupt the flow of microchips and other components they need.
— Emergency policies to curtail the spread of the respiratory disease have sent shockwaves through the economy. It’s been especially difficult for small businesses, which are less resilient because of reduced foot traffic due to movement restrictions. An AP photo gallery presents one New York’ business’ struggle.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
For most people, the virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover.
Here are the symptoms of the virus compared to the common flu.
One of the best ways to prevent spread of the virus is washing your hands with soap and water. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends first washing with warm or cold water and then lathering soap for 20 seconds to get it on the backs of hands, between fingers and under finger nails before rinsing off.
You should wash your phone, too. Here’s how.
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ONE NUMBER:
9,000: The number of Muslim pilgrims quarantined in Indonesia Thursday. They were attending a four-day gathering at a boarding school that wasn’t approved by authorities and drew fears it could spread the virus widely in the world’s fourth most populous nation. It was organized by a Muslim missionary movement, Jamaat Tabligh, which held a similar event in Malaysia three weeks ago that has been linked to nearly two-thirds of that country’s 900 infections as well as dozens of cases in other nations.
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IN OTHER NEWS:
TRADITIONAL FRENCH SOAP ENJOYS REVIVAL: Amid the rapid spread of the new coronavirus across Europe, the hallmark Marseille tradition of soap-making is enjoying a renaissance, as the French rediscover an essential local product. Savonnerie de la Licorne, a family business going back more than a century which runs four soap shops on the Old Port, a museum and a small factory in the heart of Marseille, has seen its shop sales increase 30% and delivery orders quadruple since Italy declared a state of emergency over the coronavirus.
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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Leaders at the University of Mississippi Medical Center said Wednesday that physicians and researchers there are working to develop a test for the new coronavirus amid high demand for test kits nationwide.
Many Mississippi government agencies, meanwhile, are limiting activities because of the global pandemic.
The state reported 34 confirmed cases of the virus as of Wednesday, up from 21 Tuesday. The state Health Department said 513 people had been tested in Mississippi by Wednesday.
Dr. Richard Summers, associate vice chancellor for research at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, said it will likely be a couple of weeks before teams there develop test kits.
UMMC’s top executive, Dr. LouAnn Woodward, said the medical center is working to increase telehealth capacity to screen patients remotely.
The head of emergency medicine, Dr. Alan Jones, said it’s “very important” that people not go to an emergency room if they think they have symptoms. Instead, they should first use a telephone or telehealth service to get advice on what to do.
For most people, the new virus strain causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.
The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. People with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover, according to the World Health Organization.
The Mississippi Public Service Commission announced Wednesday that it is banning utility companies from cutting off water, sewer, natural gas or electricity service for 60 days for customers who are unable to pay. The commission said that includes city-run utilities not normally under its jurisdiction.
Among the government services curtailed are driver’s license offices, which are closed for most functions. Gov. Tate Reeves said Tuesday that the Highway Patrol will not issue tickets to people driving with expired licenses.
The state Health Department said distribution centers for the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program remain open, but only two clients at a time can go into a warehouse to pick up food. The secretary of state and the auditor have employees working remotely.
Mississippi legislators are suspending their work until at least April 1, largely to prevent interaction among thousands of people who converge on the Capitol during most days of legislative sessions.
“This virus doesn’t discriminate,” Democratic Sen. Derrick Simmons of Greenville said Wednesday. “It doesn’t matter if you’re black or white, Democrat or Republican, young or old.”
Before leaving, senators passed a bill Wednesday to ensure that teachers and employees of city and county governments in Mississippi would be paid even if workers are told to stay home because of the pandemic.
The bill passed the House Tuesday, and it now goes to Reeves, who requested it. The measure would give city and county governments and school boards the power to pay hourly employees who are not working during a disaster, including the current pandemic. State law already authorizes Mississippi state government to pay its hourly employees in such circumstances. The legislation would not affect private businesses.
Mississippi’s 26 state-regulated casinos were ordered to close at midnight Monday, leaving empty parking lots in places that are often bustling. Schools are closed, and some grocery stores shelves have been picked clean of toilet paper and cleaning products.
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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
STATEMENT FROM THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
REGARDING MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS
NATCHEZ, Mississippi – Mayor Grennell, City Attorney Bob Latham,
and other local leaders are working with the Governor’s Office, the
Secretary of State, the Attorney General’s Office and the local
Election Commission to delay the City’s municipal election cycle,
which begins with the April 7 primary, followed by the April 28
runoff, and the June 2 general election.
Mayor Grennell has spoken with several local candidates who are
voluntarily suspending their campaigns in response to the
coronavirus pandemic.
“At this time of emergency, our local election is not really on the
radar screen at the state level. This is because of our special charter
and the fact that we are on a different election cycle from the rest of
the municipalities. Only a few Mississippi municipalities have local
elections this spring.”
The Mayors office will provide updates as soon as more informaitojn
becomes available.
MAYOR GRENNELL TAKES FURTHER STEPS
IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 OUTBREAK
NATCHEZ, Mississippi, March 18, 2020 – Natchez Mayor Darryl Grennell took further steps to
protect residents by responding even more aggressively to the COVID-19 outbreak.
“My primary concern is the health of the citizens of our community. The economy of every city in
the United States will be affected by this pandemic. Once this pandemic is over, we will recover
economically; however, we cannot recover lost lives. My first priority is saving lives here in
Natchez, Adams County,” says Mayor Grennell.
“I am deeply, personally grateful to all citizens and businesses who have chosen to limit or close
their businesses out of an abundance of caution for the safety of their employees, fellow citizens,
and visitors. I profoundly regret that it is necessary to call for additional limitations, but not
everyone is understanding the we are in a state of emergency.”
Again, Mayor Grennell reiterates that we must ALL heed the President’s National Coronavirus
Guidelines for Americans. Even if you are young or otherwise healthy, you are at risk and your
activities can increase the risk for others. It is critical that you do your part to slow the spread of the
coronavirus.
Pursuant to Mayor Grennell’s order, Natchez Police Chief Walter Armstrong will have his officers
deliver the following notices to businesses throughout the city.
Darryl Grennell, Mayor of the City of Natchez, strongly urges all citizens and businesses to
STRICTLY COMPLY with the President’s National Coronavirus Guidelines for Americans
and the following local guidelines, effective immediately:
Bars and nightclubs: Close in-house service immediately. Take-out and delivery of food
service may continue. If your bar or nightclub is located in the Leisure & Recreation District
(Go Cup), alcoholic beverages may be served in go cups at the door.
Restaurants: Close dine-in service immediately; provide take-out and delivery ONLY;
drive-thru services may remain open.
Movie theaters, arcades, malls, bowling alleys, gyms and health clubs: Close entirely
immediately.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Three more New Orleans area residents have died from the coronavirus disease spreading across the country, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Wednesday, bringing the state’s death toll from the virus to seven as the number of positive cases in Louisiana rose above 250.
The epicenter of the virus in Louisiana remains the New Orleans region, with most of the positive tests and all of the state’s deaths. Four of the people who died from the virus were residents of a New Orleans retirement home, Lambeth House, which has seen a cluster of cases. Two of the victims announced Wednesday, aged 98 and 92, were residents there, Edwards said. The third victim was from the New Orleans suburb of Jefferson Parish, the governor said.
But increased testing showed the COVID-19 disease also had reached the state’s capital city of Baton Rouge, according to the Louisiana Department of Health. Positive tests for the virus statewide jumped to 257, up from 196 a day earlier.
Edwards warned the numbers likely will “jump tremendously” within 36 hours as testing ramps up statewide.
“I want people to be prepared for this,” the governor said. “It is going to get much worse before it gets better.”
Republican U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, a doctor, said Louisiana has the third highest rate of COVID-19 cases per capita in the nation. But he acknowledged the state has limited knowledge about the full spread, because of the initial slow pace of testing.
A drive-thru testing center in Baton Rouge that shuttered Tuesday after running out of testing kits was reopening Wednesday, according to the mayor’s office. Edwards said new drive-thru test sites in New Orleans and neighboring Jefferson Parish would open Friday.
The grim uptick — and drastic restrictions enacted to try to contain the virus’ spread — prompted the postponement of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, a huge tourism driver that draws hundreds of thousands of people yearly. The festival will be rescheduled for the fall.
For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.
The governor has closed K-12 public schools, bars, gyms, casinos and movie theaters and has limited restaurants to delivery and takeout until at least April 13. Public gatherings of more than 50 people are banned. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has prohibited all public and private gatherings. Louisiana lawmakers have temporarily adjourned their legislative session.
With schools shuttered across Louisiana, the state education department asked federal officials to suspend standardized testing requirements for public school students, along with school performance scores and letter grades.
Edwards defended his restrictions against pushback his actions are too harsh. The governor said he’s taking the advice of public health officials to slow the spread of the virus to avoid strain on the health care system. In a rare moment of agreement with the Democratic governor, Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry described the governor’s aggressive actions as legal and aimed at protecting the public.
“He is acting with restraint and with consideration to individual liberties and freedoms, and I appreciate that,” Landry said Wednesday, appearing at a news conference with Edwards.
The governor’s actions mirror decisions by other states’ governors. Louisiana law enforcement agencies said they intend to enforce Edwards’ limitations on events and businesses.
Trying to keep more people in their homes, Edwards brought one of Louisiana’s most popular figures to his Wednesday briefing with reporters, LSU football coach Ed Orgeron, who led the school to a national championship earlier this year.
Orgeron told Louisiana’s residents to follow the governor’s advice: “Have faith in the game plan. We’re going to get through this.”
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McGill reported from New Orleans.
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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Teachers and employees of city and county governments in Mississippi would be paid even if workers are told to stay home because of the coronavirus pandemic, under a bill the state Senate passed Wednesday.
The bill now goes to Republican Gov. Tate Reeves, who requested it. The measure would give city and county governments and school boards the power to pay hourly employees who are not working during a disaster, including the current pandemic. State law already authorizes Mississippi state government to pay its hourly employees in such circumstances. The legislation would not affect private businesses.
House members passed the bill and left the Capitol on Tuesday, but senators had to return briefly and pass it Wednesday because a House member blocked it from immediately going to the Senate.
Mississippi reported 34 confirmed cases of the virus as of Wednesday, up from 21 Tuesday. The state Health Department said 513 people had been tested in Mississippi by Wednesday.
For most people, coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.
The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. People with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover, according to the World Health Organization.
Mississippi legislators are suspending their work until at least April 1, largely to prevent interaction among thousands of people who converge on the Capitol during most days of legislative sessions.
“This virus doesn’t discriminate,” Democratic Sen. Derrick Simmons of Greenville said Wednesday. “It doesn’t matter if you’re black or white, Democrat or Republican, young or old.”
Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and House Speaker Philip Gunn will decide whether lawmakers will return April 1 or on a later date.
Hosemann said Tuesday that many in Mississippi live paycheck-to-paycheck, and he knows times could be tough as people are asked to isolate themselves from others to curb the spread of the virus.
Mississippi’s 26 state-regulated casinos were ordered to close at midnight Monday, leaving empty parking lots in places that are often bustling. Schools are closed, and some grocery stores shelves have been picked clean of toilet paper and cleaning products.
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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
