Lafayette County reports first long-term care facility COVID-19 outbreak; MSDH reports 169 new cases
Published 2:32 pm Friday, April 17, 2020
Lafayette County did not report any new COVID-19 cases, but did report its first long-term care facility outbreak on Friday.
The Mississippi State Department of Health reported 169 new cases as of 6 p.m. on Thursday, which was a drop of nearly 100 cases from Thursday’s number of 263. Mississippi’s current total number of cases is 3,793 since March 11.
It was not immediately clear which long-term care facility in Lafayette County was experiencing an outbreak of coronavirus.
Mississippi did report 11 new deaths on Friday, bringing the state’s total number of deaths to 140. Lafayette County has reported 39 cases and two deaths since reporting its first case on March 19.
Governor Tate Reeves announced on Friday he is extending the state’s shelter-in-place order for another week. The order was originally scheduled to expire at 8 a.m. on April 20, but will now run through April 27.
Non-essential businesses will be allowed to reopen and provide curbside, drive-thru and delivery services, but the inside of the businesses must remain closed. Mississippi residents will be allowed to go to lakes and beaches for individual use only, effective on April 20.
Oxford’s Board of Aldermen extended the city’s shelter-in-place order on to April 30 during a special meeting on Thursday.