Local and state officials are strongly encouraging residents to continue to shelter in place and take all possible precautions to protect themselves from the COVID-19 virus with hopes that a “peak” in positive cases will come in a couple of weeks.
“We still don’t have people’s attention,” Forest Mayor Nancy Chambers said Tuesday. “We had been saying that last week and this week would probably be the peak for us, but, yesterday was really busy for the medical clinics and the hospital.
“I think this week and next week are really crucial for us. People need to please just stay home and wear their masks any time they go outside. And if they have to go to the store, they only need to go to the store one person at at time,” she added.
Lackey Memorial Hospital CEO Sydney Sawyer, RN, agreed. “This thing stops, or slows down, when we get people staying away from each other,” he said.
“The clinics and the ER picked up yesterday. Overall we tested 29 patients yesterday which is a pretty big uptick, it has normally been in the teens. It seems like yesterday all of the sudden it just went up.”
Sawyer said he had 21 patients test positive on Sunday and had a good many pending. “They saw 33-35 yesterday in the COVID-19 clinic,” he added.
“I think it is going slower than expected here, but we are testing anyone that shows up. I think that gives us a truer picture of what is going on,” Sawyer said. “I am seeing it ramp up, though and I think over the next couple of weeks we’ll see it spike even higher. Then maybe we’ll be on the downside of this thing in a couple of weeks.”
As of Tuesday there were two patients remaining in Lackey who had tested positive and the hospital has admitted three overall. As of Monday’s count, Swayer said 63 patients had tested positive and 257 patients had been tested.
As of Tuesday morning’s update from the state health department, 3,087 people had tested positive statewide and there had been 111 reported deaths. There were no deaths in Scott County due ot COVID-19 that had been reported Tuesday morning.
In addition, last week at the request of the Mississippi Forestry Commission, Gov. Tate Reeves has signed a proclamation initiating a statewide burn ban, with no exemptions, effective immediately. The burn ban will remain in effect until further notice.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has put significant strain on Mississippi’s Emergency Medical Services professionals, particularly the state’s rural volunteer fire departments,” said Russell Bozeman, MFC state forester.
Since March 1, MFC wildland firefighters have responded to and suppressed 189 wildfires that have burned approximately 4,259 acres across the state where 303 structures were threatened and saved. Additionally, MFC wildland firefighters have been assisted by volunteer fire departments on 557 additional outdoor fires.
“The current amount of wildfire is not normally a need for concern,” Bozeman said. “However, the smoke from these fires creates problems for anyone with respiratory issues and increases our firefighter’s chances of exposure when they respond.”
Additionally, the State Fire Marshal’s Office has received numerous calls from city and rural fire departments across Mississippi requesting a statewide burn ban. Rural communities rely heavily on volunteer fire departments for EMS services. Fire response in rural communities, along with increased EMS response, has put additional strain on these city and rural fire departments.
“This statewide burn ban will remove some fire response strain from city and rural volunteer fire departments, remove smoke from the air relieving those with respiratory issues, and allow our responders to focus more on EMS related services,” said Bozeman.
Under a statewide burn ban, outdoor burning of any kind is prohibited. There are no exemptions for agricultural or prescribed burns under this burn ban. Persons caught violating a burn ban can be fined, as well as be held responsible for any smoke or fire damage. Burn bans are enforced locally by the county sheriff’s department
To report a wildfire, call 911 or contact MFC’s Central Dispatch at 833-MFC-FIRE.
For additional information, visit mfc.ms.gov and like and follow @MSForestryComm on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
