COVID-19 has been the big news of 2020 and the latest numbers for the disease indicate it will be with us into 2021.
And while year-end numbers are sobering, some of the statistics and raw numbers provided by the Mississippi State Department of Health have put the pandemic panic into proper perspective.
As of Tuesday, MSDH said there have been 1,927 Coahoma County cases reported and 52 death due to the disease since the first case was reported locally on March 18. That averages out to 8.5 percent who have tested positive and a fatality rate of 0.23 percent among the county’s 22,628 residents.
Coahoma County reported a weekly high of 188 new cases in late July, but saw that number decline to 13 people testing positive the week of Oct. 3. Positive tests climbed to their second highest number the week of Dec. 12 with 114 new cases.
While there were no deaths due to coronavirus reported in the county the first three weeks of December, four deaths were attributed to the disease this past week. Coahoma County reported a high of six people dying of COVID-19 the week of Aug. 29.
COVID in 2020
Coahoma County reported its first COVID-19 fatality on April 4 with the death of Bishop T.T. Scott, 88, leader of St. James Temple of God in Christ.
Frantic testing in the community just before school started saw the number of cases in the community and Mississippi skyrocket. That spike has been linked to the end of state and federal assistance that ran out in late July. Those who test positive for the disease can get two weeks – and sometimes longer – of unemployment assistance if they test positive for COVID-19.
Communities can also lobby state health officials for more resources to fight the disease as cases go up and states can be paid by the federal government based on the numbers of cases reported.
State & National Numbers
Statewide there have been 210,032 cases reported as of Tuesday and 4,719 deaths. That means 7.3 percent of the Mississippians have tested positive for COVID-19 and .16 percent of the state’s 2.876 million residents have died.
That averages 2,561.37 cases per over Mississippi’s 82 counties, with Coahoma County well below that average.
Across the nation the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported 19,232,843 people or 5.86 percent of the nation’s 328.2 million people have contracted the disease and 334,029 or 1.74 percent of those infected have died.
Epidemiologists with the Center for Disease Control have estimated herd immunity – the number need to become infected, survive the disease and become immune to spreading it – would need to hit one-third to curb COVID-19. That means 7,542 people in Coahoma County would have to contract the disease.
The CDC also says many people – especially those under the age of 19 – often get the disease and do not exhibit symptoms. Mississippi has had no child fatalities under the age of 1-year-old and only two COVID deaths ages 1- to 10-years-old.
The disease has a greater impact on the elderly and those with underlying health concerns.
While those over age 65 are the most vulnerable, Coahoma County has seen a new spike in December with the 50-64 age-group reporting the most cases.
The Vaccine
MSDH said Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Mississippi last week and distribution has begun to hospitals and health facilities to those involved in COVID-19 patient care. Long-term care facility residents and staff are also a first priority for vaccination.
CDC has said additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine are expected over the coming weeks, with expansion of vaccination to all healthcare workers in any setting, politicians and essential workers, those with chronic diseases and the elderly next in line.
The Mississippi State Department of Health released the following statement just before the Christmas holiday.
“Due to rapidly rising COVID-19 cases, all residents of Mississippi should avoid any social gathering that includes individuals outside of the immediate family or household. MSDH recommends that Mississippians only participate in work, school or other absolutely essential activities and avoid gatherings such as social events, sporting events, in-person church services and weddings and funerals unless they involve only close family (preferably outdoors).”
Local Impact
The City of Clarksdale announced a cufew, the extension of indoor and outdoor gathering, bar capacity and social distancing requirements in March and some of those requirements are still in place and being enforced. The Board of Mayor and Commissioners have issued more than a dozen executive orders related to COVID-19.
Those who test positive are being quarantined for two weeks and family members and co-workers can also be quarantined.
Several convenience stores and restaurants in the area have closed after staff became infected. Major grocery stores, retail outlets and fast food restaurants remain open and are hiring replacement workers to fill in for those who test positive.
The pandemic began 288 days ago and at this point 97.4-percent of Coahoma County residents who have caught coronavirus have gotten well. As of Monday MSDH says 167,263 of the state’s known cases have gotten well.
The Mississippi State Department of Health has ramped up testing procedures across the state and most local healthcare providers offer the test for free and are reimbursed by the state.
The MSDH website listed the following locations offering free COVID-19 testing:
Clarksdale: Fast Pace Health at 662-966-1012.
Clarksdale: Aaron E. Henry CHC at 662-624-4292.
Tunica: Aaron E. Henry CHC at 662-363-3656.
Greenville: Delta Regional Medical Center at 662-725-6000.
Those wanting to be tested must call in advance to prepare the clinic to administer a test.
