By Alyssa Schnugg
News editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com
According to the Mississippi State Department of Health, Lafayette County has had its first COVID-19-related death.
Total cases in the county are now reported at 15 with a total of 937 in state and 20 deaths statewide.
Three of the deaths have occurred in patients under 50 years old.
According to Lafayette County Coroner Rocky Kennedy, the death was of an Oxford man in his early 60s.
According to Lafayette County Emergency Management Coordinator Steve Quarles, at least 10 of the deaths were in patients over 70 with the other 10 occurring in patients 69 and younger.
Medical experts have said the virus’s effects will peak in two to four weeks for the states where COVID-19 hit first, with later states seeing the peak in five to six weeks.
“The worse is yet to come,” Quarles told the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors Monday during a special meeting. “We need to stay vigilant.”
