By Alyssa Schnugg
News editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com
Lafayette County has gained 11 positive cases of COVID-19 in the past eight days; however, the spread of the virus in two local long-term care facilities seems to have been abated.
Steve Quarles, emergency management director for Lafayette County, updated the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors Monday morning during their regular meeting on the status of the virus in the county.
As of Monday morning, there have been 109 confirmed cases of the virus since testing started in March. Backing out cases older than 14 days old, Quarles said there are about 12 active cases in the county among those who have been tested.
North Mississippi Regional Center has had 35 people test positive in its residential cottages between residents and employees.
“They have not had any new cases in two weeks so if they don’t have any more positive cases by 2 p.m. today they will roll off the (state’s) list of long-term care facilities with active cases,” he said Monday.
Quarles said the Mississippi National Guard and the Mississippi State Department of Health came to Oxford last week and tested every patient and employee at Oxford Health and Rehab. The nursing home had one employee test positive two weeks ago. The results from last week’s testing showed one additional employee testing positive for the coronavirus; however, none of the residents tested positive for the virus.
As of Monday, Mississippi’s total of COVID-19 cases since March 11 was 11,432, with 528 deaths. Currently, there are 389 Mississippians hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 infection, the lowest number this month.
Quarles said over the last eight days, the state has averaged 240 new cases daily with Lafayette County averaging four new cases daily.
Supervisor and Board President Mike Roberts asked if local medial offices and treatment centers were still in need of PPEs – personal protection equipment like face masks.
“We are getting less and less requests (for PPEs) from health entities and clinics in our area,” Quarles said.
