Thirty-four new positive cases of COVID-19 have been reported for Lincoln County since Friday. Lincoln County now has 5,173 cases and 127 related deaths.

The state reported 3,763 new cases and 71 new deaths Monday, and 2,070 new cases and 85 additional deaths Tuesday.

The Mississippi State Department of Health has now recorded 466,145 cases of the coronavirus and 9,061 deaths over the course of the pandemic.  MSDH reports 270,881 of the total cases and 6,128 reported deaths are confirmed — generally determined by positive PCR tests, which detect the presence of ongoing coronavirus infection. The remaining 195,264 cases and 2,933 deaths are considered “probable,” meaning cases have tested positive by other testing methods or have recent symptoms of COVID-19, and deaths have a designation of COVID-19 as a cause of death of death certificates, but no confirmatory testing was performed.

Lincoln County’s neighbors all reported higher numbers since the end of the previous week:

• Copiah County — 4,220 cases (averaging 25 new cases daily) and 83 deaths

• Lawrence County — 2,015 cases (26 new) and 31 deaths

• Franklin County — 1,139 cases (10 new) and 27 deaths

• Jefferson County — 854 cases (six new) and 32 deaths

• Amite County — 1,897 cases (16 new) and 51 deaths (one new)

• Pike County — 5,397 cases (91 new) and 133 deaths (five new)

• Walthall County — 2,015 cases (24 new) and 57 deaths (three new)

Issaquena County remains the county with the least deaths — six — and the fewest positive cases, though its count rose by two to 189.

Harrison remains the county with the highest number of cases, rising by 503 to 31,767 over the weekend, and adding 11 deaths to reach 460. Hinds County still has the highest death toll at 568, 11 more over the weekend. Its case number rose by 360 to 30,454.

De Soto County has the third-highest positive case total at 29,346 — up 456 from Friday, with its death toll rising by seven to 341.

 

While quarantined

King’s Daughters Medical Center recommends following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when it comes to quarantining. Current CDC recommendations are:

• Make it a staycation — Avoid leaving your home unless absolutely necessary (such as visiting your healthcare provider). That means no work, school or church and saying “No” to your cousin’s wedding.

• Visiting your healthcare provider — You may need to see your healthcare provider, or have a follow-up. Check with your provider to see if a virtual visit is possible. Or at least, call ahead first, so that the medical facility can take steps to prevent others from getting infected.

• Worried about your fur babies? — At this time, the CDC says there’s no evidence that companion animals can spread COVID-19. But it may still be good to still use caution. If you’ve been exposed to COVID-19, avoid “petting, snuggling, being kissed or licked and sharing food [during a coronavirus quarantine],” recommends the CDC.

• Do not share — “Don’t share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels or bedding with other people or pets in your home,” says the CDC.

• Wash, rinse, repeat — Hygiene is an integral part of this, even at home. Hand washing (use soap and water at least 20 seconds) should be your first line of defense when under quarantine. Hand sanitizers with minimum 60% alcohol can be used if you can wash utilize soap and water immediately. And, don’t forget, cough or sneeze into your elbows or a tissue that you then throw away.

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