The number of COVID-19 deaths reported in Webster County has tripled to six in a week’s time, with four of those being in a long-term care facility. Here as of Monday, 98 positive test results for the new coronavirus had been reported to the Mississippi State Department of Health to date. That is 30 more than the week before and the six deaths were up from two a week earlier. MSDH has reported one long-term care facility outbreak in Webster County, with the total case count for the county including 19 LTCF cases among residents — up one from a week earlier. Those 19 include cases among both active and resolved outbreaks, according to the agency. Four of those cases have resulted in deaths. One LTCF death had been reported here a week earlier. Countywide, the breakdown by race and ethnicity for the 98 total cases is categorized by MSDH as follows: • Not Hispanic: 36 white, 25 black and one other. • Unknown Ethnicity: eight black, 21 white, two other and five unknown. Of the six deaths countywide, four were white and two were black, according to MSDH. The local LTCF cases among residents by race are 17 whites and two blacks. The four LTCF residents who have died included three whites and one black. Agency identifies LTC facilities After reviewing a May 26 Hinds County Chancery Court ruling regarding the release of possible protected patient information, the attorney general’s office recommended that MSDH release the names of current long-term care facilities that have COVID-19 outbreaks, the agency said June 2. An outbreak is considered any COVID-19 case in the staff or residents of a long-term care or residential facility. Beginning June 3, the names of these facilities were posted on the MSDH website and are updated daily. The Mississippi Public Records Act provides for the release of public documents already in existence, such as the list of LTCFs with COVID-19 outbreaks. MSDH identified the one LTCF in Webster County with an active COVID-19 outbreak as of June 2 (the most recent date posted as of Monday for this information) as Diversicare of Eupora. As of June 2, the LTCF cases at the nursing home included 16 employee cases, 18 resident cases and two resident deaths. This data was provided through self-reporting from the facility. Aforementioned MSDH figures for the county were updated as of Monday. The 498 new cases reported statewide Monday were the highest number for a single day to date. The 20 new deaths reported then included nine that occurred between May 31 and June 1, identified through death certificate reports.
