DESOTO COUNTY, Miss — UPDATE 3/24/2020 - The Mississippi State Department of Health is reporting 71 new cases of COVID-19 in the state. Six of those cases were reported in Desoto County, making it a total of 29 there.
There are now 320 total reported COVID-19 cases in Mississippi. One person has died, in Hancock County.
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3/23/20202 - The Mississippi State Department of Health is reporting 42 new cases of COVID-19 in the state. Five of those cases were reported in Desoto County, making it a total of 23 there.
There are now 249 total reported COVID-19 cases in Mississippi. One person has died, in Hancock County.
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3/22/2020 -The Mississippi State Department of Health is reporting 67 news cases of COVID-19 in the state. Five of those cases were reported in Desoto County, making it a total of 18 there.
There are now 207 total reported COVID-19 cases in Mississippi.
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3/21/2020 - The Mississippi State Department of Health is reporting 60 news cases of COVID-19 in the state. Nine of those cases were reported in Desoto County, making it 13 total there.
The new cases were reported in 28 counties. Among the counties with their first coronavirus cases are Attala, Clay, Union, and Clay.
There are now 140 cases across the state, and one death in Hancock County.
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3/20/2020 - The Mississippi State Department of Health is reporting 30 news cases of COVID-19 in the state. Two of those cases were reported in Desoto County, making it four total there.
The state total for cases is now at 80, with one death in Hancock County.
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3/19/2020 - The Mississippi State Department of Health said Thursday morning there are now 16 new cases of COVID-19 in Mississippi in 12 counties. Among those is a second case reported in DeSoto County.
Seven counties have their first coronavirus cases: Holmes, Jones, Smith, Walthall, Wilkinson, Winston and Yazoo.
The health department says the total now stands at 50, with 602 individuals tested.
Full details of Mississippi cases and preventive steps to take against COVID-19 are online at http://HealthyMS.com/covid-19.
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3/18/2020 - The Mississippi State Department of Health is now reporting 13 new cases of COVID-19 in eight counties, including the first confirmed case for DeSoto County.
MSDH says as of Wednesday morning, there are 34 total confirmed cases in the state, and 513 people have been tested by the department. Other counties with their first cases include Bolivar, Madison, and Perry.
State health officials did not specify if the DeSoto County case was the Hernando city employee which the Hernando Police Department announced on its Facebook page Tuesday night.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency is also working to help small businesses affected by the coronavirus outbreak.
From MEMA: "MEMA is gathering information on the economic loss to small businesses throughout the state as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. We are collecting this information so that Mississippi may request a Economic Injury Declaration from the Small Business Administration to aid in the economic loss suffered as a result of the COVID-19 event.
Attached are two documents. First is the actual worksheet. Second is an instruct sheet. Please disseminate this worksheet and instructions to any small business within your respective counties that may have suffered economic hardship as a result of the response efforts of the COVID-19 event. After business owners complete these worksheets, they can submit them directly to the MEMA State Coordinating Officer Todd DeMuth, for inclusion into the SBA declaration request."
Shelby County health officials reported the fourth confirmed case Wednesday morning.
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Coronavirus in Context:
The symptoms of coronavirus are similar to the flu or a bad cold. Symptoms include a fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Most healthy people will have mild symptoms. A study of more than 72,000 patients by the Centers for Disease Control in China showed 80-percent of the cases there were mild.
But infections can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death, according to the World Health Organization. Older people with underlying health conditions are most at risk.
The CDC believes symptoms may appear anywhere from two to 14 days after being exposed.
Lower your risk
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- If you are 60 or over and have an underlying health condition such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes or respiratory illnesses like asthma or COPD, the World Health Organization advises you to try to avoid crowds or places where you might interact with people who are sick.