WCBI News at Ten March 12, 2020

WCBI News at Ten March 12, 2020

Thanks for joining us tonight..

From the governor's office to local governments, even churches , mississippi is reacting to the threat of the coronavirus.

State health officials are moving forward with plans to treat the outbreak.

And they're urging caution not panic.

Lanaya lewis from cbs affilaite wjtv has the latest the mississippi state department of health says that they're monitoring the spread of the coronavirus.

They're asking people not to panic, but instead take preventative measures.

"if you're sick and worried call your clinic.

Call your provider.

Call your doctor, and let them take care of it."

That's exactly what the first coronavirus victim did in mississippi.

An adult male who recently traveled to florida started feeling symptoms of covid-19, called his physician, and self-quaratine at home.

"in general, travelers are not going to be at especially high risk unless you've been to an area of a lot of transmission.

So people are traveling across the state lines... but just because you travel, doesn't mean you need to quarantine yourself."

So far, the state has tested more than 42 people for the virus.

Although this number is pretty small, they're asking organizations and companies to avoid large gatherings where there's more than 250 people - especially for those 65 and older.

"consider restricted visitation until further notice.

Keeps signs that encourage all non-essential visitation and definitely prohibit anyone who's ill from entering the facility."

To help stop the virus from spreading through mississippi, dr. dobbs is reminding people to wash their hands, cover their mouth when they sneeze or cough and look out for symptoms like fever, dry cough and shortness of breath.

Lanaya tag: if you feel like you have any of these symptoms, state leaders are- urging you to call your physician instead of arriving at the the emergency room.

In jackson, lanaya lewis 12 news.

Wipe to vo the city of tupelo is taking precautions against the coronavirus.

There are no cases of coronavirus reported in tupelo.

However, after meeting with department heads and a conference call with the white house, mayor jason shelton issued two executive orders.

One will require all hotels to suspend breakfast buffets.

The other will cancel all city sponsored youth league sporting events until april.

The mayor will also ask tupelo public schools to push back the start of classes from spring break from monday to wednesday of next week.

"but because we're preparing for the worst case scenario doesn't mean the worst case scenario is going to happen... taking every step we can to be prepared."

The school board will hold a special meeting tomorrow morning.

Take vo in monitor mississippi's eight public universities are extending spring break an extra week.

éé this will allow faculty to prepare to offer classes remotely.

éé classes will resume march 23rd and will be taught online.éé mississippi university for women is one of the schools affected by the i-h- l decision..

President nora miller says this was a tough decision for the school to make, but it was the right one as they look to protect students during an uncertain time.

Empty buildings and no students.

This is normal for mississippi university for women - áthis weeká - it's spring break.... but president nora miller says things might ástayá that way for the foreseeable future " we are encouraging them to go to their permanent home if they have that option.

It's just in the best interest for the social distancing and everything, we feel it's best not to have that contained environment if it all possible."

But for students who don't have that option, miller says they will still allow them to stay on campus.

For those who are moving off campus, dorms will remain open so they can pack up.

" if they want to remain in the residence hall, we're asking that a form be completed by the 18th, and then will have times for them to come and get their belongings."

The university is working out details for keeping those who stay on campus fed..

And the library and computer labs will be available for students who need internet access.

For now, muw has postponed all athletic events.

The other big question mark is graduation.

" right now the department of health fair to discourage gatherings of 250 people or more, so that would definitely be commencement.

If those recommendations are still in place we will have to make decisions accordingly."

While school leaders are encouraging students to remain off campus, the same may also apply for faculty and staff.

"we are asking people to spend this next week thinking about if that should happen, what could you do remotely.

Are there resources, do you need certain computer level access, do you need encryption, or whatever to make that happen."

Take vo in monitor muw's homecoming has also been canceled... to stay updated on everything that's happening..

Be sure to visit the school's website at muw dot edu..

Intro take vo in monitor your view of the pulpit on sunday mornings could be changing, or at least some things about the service thanks to the coronavirus..

Our allie martin tells us how some are changing procedures - but - not their mission.

Pkg every sunday, hundreds of people fill the pews at west jackson street baptist church.

Nats before his sermon this past sunday, doctor keith cochran talked about a topic on the minds of many, the coronavirus.

"you have every right today to bump elbows with people, you don't have to shake anybody's hand, so we will try to stay clear of all of that stuff."

Like many pastors, cochran encourages worshipers and staff to watch the latest developments with pandemic but not to panic.

"god has not given us a spirit of fear, so we don't want to be afraid and fearful during these times, we also want to be smart and we want to be sure we don't spread the disease either."

Nats hand sanitizer the church has had hand sanitizer throughout its campus but more bottles are being added.

"wash and sanitize your hands more often than you normally would" standup bridge cochran says anyone that is sick, especially with a respiratory ailment, to stay home from church.

To make it easier, many churches like west jackson, livestream their services every sunday.

"you can join with the worship service from your home."

The pastor believes this is a time for people of faith to make a difference and provide hope to those who are confused, anxious and afraid.

"we want to be strong, we want to be healthy, not just physically, healthy in our emotional reaction as well in our conversation with other people, this is our time to standup and be the church.

Live tag take vo in monitor so far, no services or trips have been cancelled at west jackson street baptist, or any churches throughout the area.

Doctor cochran encourages people to get their information from reliable sources, like the cdc.

First look stinger first look thursday night: partly cloudy during the early evening with the chance of some storms across the northern part of mississippi by midnight.

Some of these storms could produce some gusty winds and hail and the overall severe threat should be easing as the storms move into our area.

Areas of showers are more likely during the night and into early friday morning.

Lows will be in the low 60s with 50s possible farther north.

Friday: mostly cloudy with areas of rain and showers.

Highs are expected to be in the 60s but temperatures could dip back into the 50s during the afternoon and early evening.

Winds will be from the ne 10-15 mph.

Take new at 10 stinger aberdeen residents get another chance to hear from the people who want to lead their city.

The historic elkin theatre played host to a mayoral debate.

4 of the 6 candidates running laid out there platforms..

Candidates mostly agreed that changes are needed for residents in low- income areas to prosper.

The primary election is april seventh.

The general election is may fifth take developing story stinger intro every day law enforcement officers face dangers on the job.

Some are obvious - others aren't.

They have to know what they're doing, when handling drugs..

Stephanie poole talks to the lowndes county narcotics task force, she joins us live in the studio with more.

When they arrive on a scene these guys face a lot of unknowns - from how a suspect on drugs will react to what could be in those substances..

The narcotics team is making sure all deputies know how to handle themselves and their evidence carefully .

"when you buy a drug or get a drug you never know what you're getting."

Captain brian turner is the commander of the lowndes county narcotics task force.

He says deputies must go through intense training before responding to a call.

" we get trained on our stba's which is our self-contained breathing apparatus.

Some narcotics for instance ,like methamphetamine manufacturing, you have to use these types of items to clean up the lab."

The narcotics task force responds to 20 to 30 calls a month.

That's why deputies always keep protective gear ready for a crime scene.

" they need to glove up because a-lot of these drugs are hazardous to touch.

You don't have to inhale them, you don't have to touch them,just to touch it can hurt you."

Lowndes county sheriff eddie hawkins says fentanyl is one of the most dangerous narcotics on the street.

Just coming into contact with it can trigger an overdose or cause death.

" we're training them to identify these drugs and know how to handle these drugs.

Using personal protective equipment like gloves, masks so they don't come in contact with these drugs and actually overdose from coming in contact with."

Butt sots " they can cut methamphetamine with fentanyl, they can cut cocaine with fentanyl.

Every day we are dealing with all kinds of new drugs from synthetic drugs to drugs that we see from pharmaceutical companies."

And if an overdose does occur, deputies have back-up..

" narcan helps clear up the overdoses.

When someone does overdose we can administer this to them to help them come out of that overdose.

It may take more than one dosage but we can get medical assistance to assist them."

Butt sots " this particular drug reverse the effects of the opiods that we find out here on the streets.

Things like fentanyl we can come into contact with."

" we just want to keep our officers safe and keep sure they get home every night.

" deputies want to remind people that if you find an unidentified substance, don't handle it - call them first.

Stinger wx open summary: we have a bit of a roller coaster ride coming temperature-wise through the weekend.

Daily rain and/or storm chances are going to continue through next week.

Spring-like air is favored more days than not.

Thursday night: partly cloudy during the early evening with the chance of some storms across the northern part of mississippi by midnight.

Some of these storms could produce some gusty winds and hail and the overall severe threat should be easing as the storms move into our area.

Areas of showers are more likely during the night and into early friday morning.

Lows will be in the low 60s with 50s possible farther north.

Friday: mostly cloudy with areas of rain and showers.

Highs are expected to be in the 60s but temperatures could dip back into the 50s during the afternoon and early evening.

Winds will be from the ne 10-15 mph.

Friday night: mostly cloudy with a slight chance of a shower.

Lows in the 50s and 40s.

Saturday: morning clouds with developing sunshine as the day wears on.

Much warmer highs in the mid 70s.

A few late day and evening showers and storms are possible once again.

Sunday: mostly cloudy with areas of rain and showers.

Highs in the 60s.

Next week: we're going to keep the threat of rain and storms going through the entire work week.

Highs will be well into the upper 70s by the end of the week if not back up to around 80.

There are some signs of potential strong to severe storms late in the week but it's still a bit too far off to be for sure.

Follow @wcbiweather on facebook, twitter, instagram, and the wcbi news app weather wrap take gfx off ye olde top monster jam was supposed to take place at bancorp south arena on friday and saturday.

The event was cancelled due to coronavirus concerns.

Event organizers plan to reschedule the event.

Stinger so far it's coronavirus - 1- college sports - zero- we have the latest developments coming up in sports on your healthcare is getting easier for patients at baptist hospitals.

We find out more about onecare in tonight's health talk with baptist.

No script available stinger to play or not to play..

We have the latest developments in juco athletics and more coming up in sports coronavirus has prompted the unprecedented shut down of virtually all pro and college sports in this country.

The virus already had fans shook - ábeforeá the leagues pulled the plug today.

Dana jacobson has more.... "with the coronavirus, we don't know entirely what that means for the future&" an extraordinary day, as the dominos began falling early.

First the conference tournaments, "we believe that it's the right decision to make&" and late today, march madness, college basketball's premier event&.

Cancelled&.

Along with all other n-c- a-a's winter and spring championships.

A second nba player with the coronavirus diagnosed this morning, donovan mitchell - a teammate of utah jazz center rudy gobert who's positive test led to the suspension of the nba season last night - just days after he'd made light of the nba's social distancing policy.

And in a day like no other.... while games were being played& major league baseball announced its cancelling the rest of spring training& and delaying the start of the regular season.

"i'm going to enjoy the game.

This may be the last one for awhile the national hockey league has suspended its season.

As has major league soccer.éé the p-g-a will play without fans.

Most in the sports world agree this had to be done.

"this is not a basketball issue, it's not an nba issue.

It's not a united states issue.

This is a global issue."

This isn't limited to the ncaa postseason...the same goes for the s-e-c currently sec commissioner greg sankey saying this afternoon that starting today, march 12th through the 30th all s-e-c athletics have been postponed obviously, mississippi state men and women's basketball's season ending effectively immediately also, baseball, softball, tennis, track and field...you name it have been put on hold for the time being sankey saying they will re-evaluate the situation at the end of the month juco schools following the s-e- c by postponing athletics through march 30th... this decision is effective immediately and will also be re- evaluated at the end of the month going forward in terms of what's to come for high school athletics...no official update just yet the missisisppi high school athletics association saying they are working to decide whether gathering for sporting events outweighs the benefits given the current situation more information on high school athletics is still to come still to come..

Chief meteorologist keith