COVID-19 Transmission Rate Drops Back Down to ‘Medium’ in Lafayette County

By Alyssa Schnugg

News editor

alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

Lafayette County has dipped to a “Medium Level” of COVID-19 transmission, according to the Center for Disease Control.

From July 21-27, there were 156 new cases in Lafayette County, which was 20 percent less than the previous week.

Two weeks ago, Lafayette County had a “High” rate of transmission.

Data is updated weekly on Thursday evenings.

According to the Center for Disease Control, Lafayette County’s Community Level went from “Low” in May, to “Moderate” in June, up to “High” earlier this month, and now is back to “Medium.”

More than 30 Mississippi counties are currently designated as having “High” community levels of COVID-19.

However, there has only been one death due to COVID-19 in Lafayette County since March.

CDC reports five Lafayette County residents were admitted into the hospital in the last seven days with six in the ICU unit. Hospitalizations in Lafayette County are also down about 20 percent from the week prior.

On Thursday, the MSDH reported 1,592 new cases across the state in the past 24 hours with one new death.

Residents in counties with medium COVID-19 activity should wear masks if they have any symptoms of COVID-19 or were recently exposed to someone with the virus. Those who are at high risk for more serious illness from COVID-19, should wear masks on public transportation and in crowded public areas, suggests the Mississippi State Department of Health.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19, get tested. Vaccinations are widely available for both adults and children as young as six months old.

No local mask mandates are currently in place in Oxford.

As of Monday, the University of Mississippi reported 11 new cases on campus in the last seven days which is half of what it was a week ago when there were 22 new cases during the previous week.

As of Thursday, there were 22 active cases. Thirteen of the people who tested positive are faculty or staff and six are students.

Hospitalizations in Mississippi remain somewhat steady with 383 people reported to be in the hospital as of Thursday across the state, which is about the same as seven days ago.