High level of COVID cases lead Mississippi into the fifth wave
Mississippi nursing homes are experiencing COVID outbreaks from the omicron variant.
COVID cases in assisted living facilities have doubled in the last week.
According to State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers, the outbreaks indicate the state is heading into its 5th wave of COVID-19.
Mississippi State Department of Health has increased community testing appointment slots from 15,000 to 20,000 to accommodate for the increased COVID testing demand. MSDH Director of Health Protection Jim Craig said, “Our COVID related emergency department visits for the first three days of the week were over 1,700 patients per day. We are also seeing a rapid increase in new COVID admissions with over 445 total admissions in Mississippi hospitals as of yesterday. As Dr. Byers said we are seeing high levels of community transmission in most of the state.”
MSDH is still advising everyone to wear a mask in public and get the COVID vaccine which is available at county health departments.
