COVID-19 cases continue to spike in Mississippi

Gov. Tate Reeves and state health officials hold a briefing on COVID-19.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE ANDFOR THOSE IN THE PRESS THAT AREON THE CALL, THEY CAN FOR BEINGHERE AS WELL.-- THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE ASWELL.WE ARE COMING TO YOU TODAY TOCONTINUE TO RAISE THE ALARMABOUT THE DEADLY THREAT OFCOVID-19.OUR HOSPITAL SYSTEM ISSTRETCHED.TO THE POINT OF PAIN.I WANT TO TALK YOU THROUGH THEDATA THAT WE A FOLLOWING VERY,VERY, VERY CLOSELY.I HAVE POURED OVER THE DATA THELAST TWO DAYS, LOOKING FIRST ATTHE TWO-WEEK NUMBERS.AND ALSO LOOKING AT THESPREADSHEET CHAZ THE SEVEN-DAYNUMBERS.-- SPREADSHEET THAT HASSEVEN-DAY NUMBERS.YOU HAVE HEARD ME TALK ABOUTDATA AND THAT EVERY DECISION WEHAVE MADE HAS BEEN DATA-DRIVEN.YOU HAVE ALSO HEARD ME SAY THATWHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THECOUNTIES THAT HAVE MASKMANDATES, 23 OF TH TOTAL, WELOOK AT COUNTIES THAT HAVE OVER200 CASES OVER A 1 DAY PERIODAND/OR THOSE COUNTIES THAT HAVEMORE THAN 500 NEW CASES PER100,000 RESIDENTS.THAT IS THE REASON YOU SEE AWIDE RANGE OF COUNTIESTHROUGHOUT OUR STATE, BUTVIRTUALLY ALL OF THE LARGESTCOUNTIES FIT INTO ONE OF THOSETWO CATEGORIES.HOWEVER, A WHITE HOUSE AS WEHAVE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS WITHTHEM, DR. BIRX AND HER TEAM LOOKAT THOSE COUNTIES WITH MORE THAN100 CASES OVER A SEVEN-DAYPERIOD AND HAVE A TESTINGPOSITIVITY RATE OF GREATER THAN10%.NOW, REMEMBER, JUST TO PUT THISIN PERSPECTIVE FOR EVERYONEWATCHING TODAY, WE WOULD PUT YOUUNDER A MASK MANDATE IF YOU ADDOVER 200 CASES BETWEEN JUNE 30AND JULY 13, IN FACT WE DID.HINDS COUNTY HAD 873 CASES.OVER THOSE TWO WEEKS.DESOTO COUNTY HAD 698 CASES OVERTHOSE TWO WEEKS.HARRIS COUNTY, 436.JACKSON, 407.RANKIN, 455.EACH OF THOSE COUNTIES WERE OVEROR ABOVE TWICE WHAT THE LIMITWOULD’VE BEEN TO PUT THEM ONALERT.AND A MASK MANDATE.IF YOU START LOOKING AT THOSECOUNTIES THAT HAVE HAD MORE THAN100 NEW CASES OVER A SEVEN-DAYPERIOD -- KEEP IN MIND, THIS ISINCOMPLETE DATA BECAUSE EVERYDAY WE GET NEW CASES IN.JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE,OVARY ONE WEEK PERIOD HAVE393 CONFIRMED CASES IN HINDSCOUNTY ALONE.OVARY SEVEN-DA PERIOD, ALMOST200 CONFIRMED CASES IN MY HOMECOUNTY OF RANKIN.COAHOMA COUNTY, 100 -- 149CASES.I CAN REMEMBER AT THE HEIGHT --OR WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS THEHEIGHT OF COVID-19, CERTAINLY ATTHE HEIGHT OF COVID-19 IN NEWYORK BACK IN MID APRIL, WE HAD1500 CASES IN A WEEK WE THOUGHTIT WAS BAD.MY FRIENDS, W REPORTED -- WEARE GOING TO REPORT, WHEN DR.DOBBS GIVES YOU THE NUMBERS,THAT IS AFTER HAVING OVER 1500CASES YESTERDAY.WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?THE SPREAD OF THE VIR IS BAD.BUT SOME OF YOU WOULD ARGUE,IT’S REALLY NOT THAT BAD ONYOUNG PEOPLE.AND IT IS OK IF IT SPREADSAMONGST YOUNG PEOPLE.WHAT DR. DOBBS HAS REPEATEDLYTOLD YOU HOWEVER, AND IT ITRUE, IS THAT SO FAR OVER THEPAST FIVE MONTHS APPROXIMATELY17% OF THOSE WHO GET THE VIRUSAND ALL REPORTED AS POSITIVE --AND ARE REPORTED AS POSITIVE ANDUP IN THE HOSPITAL.WHAT DOES THIS NUMBER OF CASESMEAN TO OUR HOSPITAL SYSTEM?WE HAV HAD 4,000,600 --OF THOSE, AS OF TODAY, ONLY ONEMILE IN 898,960 ARE BEINGREPORTED AS HAVING BECOME WELL.THAT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD SUCHA HUGE NUMBER OF NEW CASESACROSS THE COUNTRY.FOR THE LAST FOUR WEEKS.WHEN I LOOK AT TOTALHOSPITALIZATIONS IN OUR STATE,THIS IS WHAT WE SEE.HAVE GONE FROM APPROXIMATELY 490PATIENTS IN HOSPITAL BEDS ACROSSMISSISSIPPI TO APPROXIMATELY1000.IN FACT, ON JULY 1, REMEMBER ONJUNE 27 WE HAD 490, ON JULY 1 WEHAD 690 F EDUCATION --PATIENTS.TODAY WE A REPORTI 492.THAT IS A 55% INCREASEPATIENTS.IN THE MONTH OF JULY.WE HAVE ADDED OVER 340 PATIENTSIN LESS THAN THREE WEEKS.IN LESS THAN 20 DAYS.I UNDERSTAND THESE NUMBERS ARENOT AS BIG AS WHAT YOU SEE INFLORIDA.AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THESENUMBERS ARE NOT AS BIG AS WHATYOU SEE IN TEXAS OR CALIFORNIA.BUT THE ABSOLUTE NUMBER IS NOTWHAT IS IMPORTANT.REMEMBER WHAT OUR GOAL WAS.OUR GOAL WAS TO WORK TOGETHER ASA PEOPLE SO THAT WE ENSURE THATEVERY SINGLE MISSISSIPPIAN THATCOULD GET QUALITY CARE GOT IT.THAT HAS BEEN OU GOAL SINCE THEBEGINNING OF MARCH.WE HAVE NEVER BELIEVED THAT WECAN COMPLETELY ERADICATE THISVIRUS.WE NEVER BELIEVED THAT WE CANSTOP THE SPREAD OF IT.BUT WE KNOW THAT IF WE DO THELITTLE THINGS WE CAN SLOW THESPREAD OF IT.MAKE NO MISTAKE -- IF I COULDSIT HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY ANDSIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE A NEWEXECUTIVE ORDER, WHICHAUTOMATICALLY WOULD SLOW THEGROWTH, I WOULD DO IT IN AHEARTBEAT.IT IS NOT ABOUT THE WORDS ON THEPAGE.IT IS ABOUT HOW ARE YOU ACT ANDHOW MY ACTING, HOW ARE WE ALLACTING?LET US ALL CONFESS, UP UNTILTHIS POINT WE HAVE ALL MADEMISTAKES.THE EXPERTS HAVE MADE MISTAKES,THE DOCTORS HAVE MADE MISTAKES,POLITICIANS HAVE MADE MISTAKES,AND THE PEOPLE BACK HOME HAVEMADE MISTAKES.BUT WE CANNOT CHANGE THE PASCAN AFFECT THE FUTURE.BACK TO THE NUMBER OF CASES.AND THE NUMBER OF HOSPITAL BEDSWE HAVE AVAILABLE.WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS NOT THEABSOLUTE NUMBER, IT IS IMPORTANTIS N NECESSARILY THE TOTALNUMBER OF ICU BEDS WE HAVE.WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS HOW MANYCASES WE HAVE RELATIVE TOHOSPITAL CAPACITY.LET’S LOOK AT THE DATATHERE ARE A TOTAL OF 272 ICUBEDS IN THE WEST CENTRAL REGION.THAT IS BASICALLY JACKSON AND AFEW OTHER HOSPITALS.272 AVAILABLE.TODAY WE HAVE TWO ICU BEDSAVAILABLE.IN THE ENTIRE REGION.TODAY WILL BE A REALLY BAD DAYTO HAVE A CAR WRECK.IT WILL BE A BAD DAY TO HAVE ANACCIDENT.IT WOULD BE A REALLY BAD DAY IFYOU ARE IN CENTRAL MISSISSIPPIFOR SOMETHING TO GO WRONG.BY THE WAY, IT IS A REALLY BADDAY TO HAVE COVID AND TO GO INTOTHE HOSPITAL.-- NEED TO GO INTO THE HOSPITAL.I WISH THAT WEST CENTRAL REGIONWAS THE ONLY REGION WHERE THEREWAS A PROBLEM.IT IS NOT.KEEP IN MIND THAT EVERY ICU BEDTHAT IS AVAILABLE IS NOT CREATEDEQUAL.THERE ARE FACILITIES THROUGHOUTOUR STATE THAT HAVE OPEN ICUBEDS, BUT THE LEVEL OF TREATMENTARE NOT GOING TO BE THE SAME INTHOSE HOSPITALS AS OUR LEVEL ONEFACILITIES.NOT THAT IT BAD, IT IS JUSTDIFFERENT.WE HAVE A TRAUMA CARE SYSTEM INPLACE, ONE OF THE FIRST IN THENATION, OFTEN LOOK THAT AS ONEOF THE BEST IN THE NATION, BUTIT IS PREDICATED ON TH ABILITYTO TAKE A PATIENT IN A RURALPART OF OUR STATE THAT NEEDS AHIGHER LEVEL OF CARE ANDTRANSFERRING THAT PATIENT TO ONEOF OUR LEVEL 1 FACILITIES.TWO -- T UMC, FOR INSTANCE.APPROXIMATELY 20 HOSPITALSTHROUGHOUT OUR STATE.OUR HOSPITAL SYSTEM IS STRESSED.DR. DOBBS AND I DID A CALLEARLIER TODAY IN WHICH WE TALKEDTO OUR HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATORS.WE HAD A VER GOOD, OPENDIALOGUE.WE AGREE ON A LOT THINGS, BUTNOT EVERYTHING.THIS IS WHAT I SAID TO THEM.I SAID, IF YOU C SURGE ICUBEDS, NOW IS T TIME.ALSO SAID IF YOU A DEFERRINGCOVID-19 PATIENTS, WE ARE GOINGTO LOOK ELIMINATING ELECTIVESURGERIES ON A FACILITY BYFACILITY BASIS.NOT BECAUSE WE WANT TO, NOTBECAUSE WE THINK THAT MEANSEVERY PATIENT WILL GET THE BESTQUALITY CARE, BECAUSE IT ISGOING TO BE NECESSARY.IT IS CRITICAL THAT ON THEHOSPITAL SIDE OUR FRIENDS IN THEINDUSTRY SURGE AS THEY CAN SURBUT ALSO WORK WITH US TODECOMPRESS THE SYSTEM.WHAT I WANT YOU AS MY FELLOWMISSISSIPPIANS TO KNOW HIS, THATIS ONE PART OF THE EQUATION.THAT IS DEALING WITH WHAT WEKNOW IS THE RISING NUMBER OFCASES, AND THEREFORE THE RISINGNUMBER OF HOSPITALIZATIONS.THEY ARE GOING TO DO THEIR PART,I AM CONFIDENT.THE QUESTION THAT REMAINS TOEVERYONE OUT THE IS, OR ALL OFUS GOING TO DO OUR PART?THE PRESIDENT SPOKE YESTERDAY.THE PRESIDENT SAID THAT HEBELIEVES IT IS PATRIOTIC TO WEA MASK.WHEN I ASKED MY CONSTITUENTS ISTHIS -- IF YOU LOVE THEPRESIDENT, JOIN HIM, BEPATRIOTIC, AND WEAR A MASK.IF YOU DON’T LIKE THE PRESIDENT,THEN JUST WEAR A MASK DESPITEHIM.-- TO SPITE HIM.SAME WITH ME.IF YOU THINK I’M GOING -- DOINGA GOOD JOB AS GOVERNOR, I ASKYOU TO WEAR A MASK.STAY SOCIALLY DISTANCE.SIX FEET APART.DON’T GATHER IN LARGE GROUPS.IF YOU THINK I’ WORTHLESS, WHYDON’T YOU JUST PROVED ME WRONG.WEAR OUR MASK, STAY SOCIALLYDISTANCE.I BELIEVE THESE LITTLE THINGSWILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.LET’S LOOK BACK AS TO WHAT GOTUS HERE.THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT WE AS ASTATE DID INCREDIBLE WORK INMARCH, IN APRIL, IN MAY.THEN A LOT OF THINGS CHANGED INTHE COUNTRY.WE WERE ALL TALKING ABOUT JUSTABOUT NOTHING BUT COVID.IN MARCH, IN APRIL, IN MAY.THEN THERE BECAME A LOT OF HOTISSUES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.THERE BECAME PROTESTS AND THEREBECAME ISSUES BEING DISCUSSEDAND DEBATED HERE IN OUR HOMESTATE.FOR WEEKS ON END, MATTER WHATANYONE ELSE SAID, THECORONAVIRUS, COVID-19, THE CHINAVIRUS, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALLIT, IT CERTAINLY WASN’T IN WARDI THOSE OF US IN THE FIGHT, BUTIT CERTAINLY FELL OFF THEFOREFRONT OF THE CONVERSATION.PEOPLE LET DOWN THEIR GUARD.TH VIRUS STARTED SPREADING.WE NOW ARE PROBABLY ON THESECOND IF NOT THE THIRD, A BEVEN THE FOURTH ITERATION OFWHAT HAPPENED IN LATE MAY ANDEARLY JUNEBECAUSE SOMEBODY GETS IT, MAYBETHEY WENT AW BAR -- WENT TO ABAR, GIVE IT TO THEIR FRIEND,THEIR FRIEND MAYBE GAVE IT TOTHEIR NEIGHBOR, AND THEIRNEIGHBOR GAVE IT TO THEIRGRANDMOM.THE NUMBER OF FATALITIES ARERISING.IT IS A LAGGING INDICATOR.THE NUMBER OF FATALITIES AGOING TO CONTINUE TO GO UPBECAUSE THE NUMBER OF CASES AREGOING UP.THERE IS A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLEHAVE STRUGGLED WITH THIS VIRUS.A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE ARECURRENTLY STRUGGLING.TO THOSE OF YOU WHO SIMPLY WANTTO MAKE A POLITICA STATEMENT,WHAT I SAY TO YOU IS THIS.LET’S ALL COME TOGETHER AS ASTATE.LET’S COME TOGETHER AS A PEOPLE.LET’S RECOGNIZE THAT WHAT HASHAPPENED IN THE PAST IS IN THEPAST.WE CAN’T CHANGE WHAT WE DID TWOSICKO.WE CAN CHANGE WHAT WE DOTOMORROW.WE CAN MAKE A DECISION TODAY TODO BETTER TOMORROW.MY ASK OF EACH OF YOU IS TO JOINME IN DOING BETTER TOMORROW.LET’S WEAR OUR MASK.LET’S STAY SOCIALLY DISTANCE.LET’S NOT GATHER IN LARGEGROUPS.LET’S BE SMART.AND MOST O ALL, LET’S STAYSAFE.DR. DOBBS AND?--DR. DOBB THANK YOU, GOVERNOR.WE HAVE THOUSAND 507 -- 1547.OF THAT NUMBER WE ARE REPORTING34 DEATHS.WE HAVE LOST 1423 MISSISSIPPIANSFROM CORONAVIRUS.IF WE WANT TO LOOK A THE DEATHBY AGES, AND ALSO TH CASES, WEKNOW THAT IT IS MORE IMPACTFULIN THE OLDER AGE GROUPS THAT ITALSO HITS YOUNGER FOLKS TOO.IF WE LOOK AT CASES WE KNOW THATTHE 18-29-YEAR-OLD AGE GROUP ISTH AREA WE SEE THE MAJORITY OFCASES AT 10,126.BUT EVEN YOUNGER FOLKS AREGETTING THE VIRUS THAT WE KNOWOF.WE HAVE 2004 AND 13 CASESBETWEEN THE AGES OF 11-17.WE HAVE 990 BETWEEN THE AGES OF6-10.WE HAVE 850 BETWEEN THE AG OF1-5.CHILDREN DO GET IT,UNFORTUNATELY MOSTLY THEY DON’TGET AS ILL.BUT THEY CAN GET ILL AND EVENWHEN WE CHECKED THIS MORNINGTHERE WERE TWO PEDIATRICPATIENTS FROM CORONAVIRUS INTHIS IS SOUPY.SEVERE DISEASE DOES HAPPEN -- INMISSISSIPPI.SEVERE DISEASE DOES HAPPEN.THERE HAVE BEEN 10 DEATHS FROMCORONAVIRUS IN INDIVIDUALSBETWEEN THE AGES OF 18-29.JUST YESTERDAY WE RECORDED THEDEATH OF A 20-YEAR-OLD FROMCORONAVIRUS IN THIS IS TO BE.WE ARE GOING TO GET MORE DETAILSON THE DEATHS AND LENGTHYYOUNGER FOLKS SO PEOPLE CAN HAVEA BETTER APPRECIATION THAT THEREIS RISK REGARDLESS OF YOUR AGEGROUP.IF WE LOOK AT HOSPITAL NUMBERS,WE ARE CONTINUING TO SEEHOSPITALIZATIONS, NOT A BIGSURPRISE.WE KNOW BOTH HOSPITALIZATIONSAND CASE COUNTS -- AND THAT’SBOTH LAG CASE COUNTS.THAT WAS WATER IN MY THROAT,ASSURE YOU.WE ARE ALSO SEEING I SEE YOUCAPACITY STRAINS.WE HAVE 293 COVID PATIENTS ININTENSIVE CARE.JUST A WEEK AGO IT WAS 30%.I DON’T KNOW HOW FAR WE CAN GOUNTIL WE ARE ABSOLUTELY GOING TOBE OUTSIDE OF STANDARDS OF CAREAND GOING INTO CRISIS CAREBECAUSE WE CANNOT TAKE CARE OFTHE BURDEN.THE LAST THING WANT TO SAY ISFOR REPORTING.I WANT TO REMIND OUR CLINICS ANDPHYSICIANS THAT IF YOU DO RAPIDTESTING FOR CORONAVIRUS AND YOUGET A CASE, YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVETO REPORT IT.WE KNOW THERE ARE MANY CASESTHAT ARE MISSING BECAUSE THEYARE NOT GETTING REPORTED.THE REFERENCE LABS HAVE TOREPORT TO US ALSO, IF YOU ARE APHYSICIAN AND DOING RAPIDTESTING YOU MUST REPORT IT TO USBY LAW.ADDITIONALLY, WE EMPLOY YOU TOENTER IT THROUGH THE ELECTRONICWEB PORTAL WITH PATIENTINFORMATION AT THE DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH SO WE CAN ADD THAT TO THECASE COUNT AND MAKE SURE WE HAVETHOSE BITS OF INFORMATION THATWILL HELP US SHARE WITH YOU ANDTHE PUBLIC.THE CROWD SITUATION IS KILLINGUS.PEOPLE A ABSOLUTELY NOTSTAYING IN SMALL GROUPS.I KNOW YOU GUYS SEE SOCIMEDIA, AND I SEE AS LITTLE AS ICAN BUT WHAT LITTLE I SEE, I SEEPEOPLE IN MASSIVE GROUPS.THERE ARE RULES ABOUT WHAT KINDOF GROUPS CAN GET TOGETHER.THESE ARE AREAS WHERE WE AREGOING TO HAVE SUPER-SPREADERFEARS AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TOHAVE HOSPITALIZATIONS ANDDEATHS.WE DO NOT NEED TO BE HAVING MASSGATHERINGS.AND DON’T CARE IF IT IS SOCIALOR WHATEVER PURPOSE.WHEN WE PUT A LOT OF PEOPLETOGETHER THAT IS EXTREMELYDANGEROUS.INDOORS AND OUTDOORS.PLEASE REFRAIN AND KEEP YOURKIDS FRO GOING TOO, BECAUSETHEY ARE GOING TO BRING IT BACKAND SPREAD IT TO THE FAMIL