Governor addresses spike in COVID-19 numbers

Gov.

Tate Reeves says while Wednesday's number of new COVID-19 cases is high, it's not reason to panic.

BREAKING NEWS EVERYONE HERECOVERING THIS AND AS WELL AS TOALL OF MY FELLOW MISSISSIPPIANSAS WE HAVE SAID NOW SINCE LATEJULY EARLY AUGUST MISSISSIPPIHAS BEEN IMPROVING.BUT WE ALSO HAVE ALSO WE’VE ALSOBEEN SAYING THAT THE THREAT ISNOT GONE.WE SAW NUMBERS TODAY THAT DO NOTFIT THE DOWNWARD TREND INCOVID-19 CASES AND IT IS AREMINDER THAT NOTHING ISINEVITABLE.OUR ACTIONS AS A PEOPLE DICTATETHE RESULTS.I’M A NUMBERS GUY.NOT A NARRATIVE GUY.I’VE ALWAYS SAID THAT I’LL TELLYOU WHEN THE NUMBERS ARE GOOD.AND I’LL TELL YOU WHEN THENUMBERS ARE BAD.NUMBERS HAD BEEN VERY VERY GOOD.TODAY THEY’RE NOT SO GOOD.IN FACT, THEY’RE BAD.ADMITTEDLY, IT’S JUST ONE DAY.IT’S NOT A TREND.BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTICE ITAND TO IT ACKNOWLEDGED IT ANDWE’LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUTPOTENTIALLY WHAT’S CAUSING IT.PLEASE CONTINUE TO DO THOSETHINGS THAT WE KNOW HAVE ANIMPACT.MASK WORK THE NUMBERS FROM THELAST FEW WEEKS BEAR THAT OUTPLEASE CONTINUE TO AVOIDUNNECESSARY SOCIAL GATHERINGS.PARTIES CALLS SPREAD NEARLYEVERY TIME.IGNORING THE RULES NOT PAYINGATTENTION TO OUR SUGGESTIONS ANDIN MANY INSTANCES OUR EXECUTIVEORDERS TO WEAR A MASK TO STAYSOCIALLY DISTANCE.MATTERS THE WORST THING WE CANDO RIGHT NOW IS LET OUR GUARDDOWN.AS I HAVE SAID REPEATEDLY.OVER THE LAST THREE WEEKS.WE’VE HAVE BASICALLY CUT OURNUMBERS IN HALF.THE DECISION WE HAVE TO MAKETODAY.AND YESTERDAY AND TOMORROW?IS ARE WE GOING TO STEP ON IT?ARE WE GOING TO TRY TO CUT IT INHALF AGAIN?OR ARE WE GOING TO LET OUR GUARDDOWN?WE’RE GOING TO LET IT THEDOWNWARD TREND PLATEAU HERE ANDTHEN PERHAPS EVEN TURN AROUNDAND THAT IS NOT WHAT WE NEED TODO IF WE WANT TO KEEP OUR KIDSIN SCHOOL.IF WE WANT TO KEEP OUR COLLEGESOPEN.IF WE WANT TO HAVE ANOPPORTUNITY TO HAVE COLLEGEFOOTBALL.WE HAVE TO REMAIN VIGILANT.WE HAVE TO TAKE THE COMMUNITYSPREAD THAT WE HAVE TODAY ANDCONTINUE TO REDUCE IT TO KEEPTHAT ARE NOT BELOW ONE TOCONTINUE TO SEE NUMBERS COMINGDOWN.AGAIN, WE’RE CERTAINLY NOT GOINGTO PANIC BASED UPON TODAY’SNUMBER.OVER 1,300 CASES TODAY YOU’LL ASI TOLD YOU YESTERDAY OUR 7-DAYAVERAGE AS OF YESTERDAY.RIGHT AT 700 NOW WEDNESDAY’S ARETYPICALLY LARGER THAN OTHERDAYS.WE KNOW THAT WE’VE SEEN THATTHROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC.BUT WE HAVE TO BE AWARE OF THEDATA.WE HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION.WE HAVE TO STAY STRONG.WE HAVE TO PROTECT OURNEIGHBORS.WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR FAMILY.WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND DOTHIS.IN FACT THE LAST SIX WEEKS WEHAVE BEEN DOING IT.BUT WE GOT TO KEEP DRIVINGTHINGS DOWN.WE GOT TO KEEP USING OUR HEAD.WE GOT TO REALIZE THAT IF WE DOTHE LITTLE THINGS NOW, IT WILLHAVE AN IMPACT TWO WEEKS THREEWEEKS FOUR WEEKS OUT.I WANT TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF MYFELLOW MISSISSIPPIANS TOCONTINUE DOWN THAT PATH.AT THIS TIME I’M GOING TO ASKDR. DOBBS TO GIVE US AN UPDATEON THE NUMBERS.THANK YOU VERY MUCH GOVERNORTODAY.WE’RE REPORTING 1348 NEW CASESOF CORONAVIRUS A CONSIDERABLEINCREASE OVER WHAT WE SAW ACOUPLE DAYS AGO, BUT I WOULDLIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE TOUNDERSTAND THAT THERE WILL BEVARIABILITY AND WE DO SEE ALITTLE BIT OF A LAG AFTER THEWEEKENDS AND THEN SORT OFRESETTING IN THE MIDDLE OF WEEK.WE WILL HAVE TO FOLLOW TO HERSOMEDAY TO SEE WHAT KIND OFTREND WE’RE GOING TO SEE BUTSTILL UNWELCOME NEWSNONETHELESS.AND WE LOOK AT THE NUMBER OFDEATHS.WE HAVE 31 NEW DEATHS AMONGMISSISSIPPIANS, AND WE NEED TOREALIZE THAT THESE ARE PEOPLEWHO DID NOT HAVE TO DIE.THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO OTHERWISEWOULD BE WITH US TODAY MOST OFTHE PEOPLE WHO ARE DYING TODAYAND MISSISSIPPI ARE NOT INNURSING HOMES.THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THECOMMUNITY.THEY’RE CONTRACING COVID ANDTHEY’RE GETTING SICK AND THEY’REDYING.SO IT’S SOMETHING WE REALLY NEEDTO WORK DILIGENTLY TO SUPPRESSAND THE COMMUNITY SO THATDOESN’T REACH PEOPLE VULNERABLEAND HEALTHY SOME OF WHOM AREGOING TO SADLY DIED.IF WE LOOK AT WHAT’S GOING ONTHE SCHOOL SITUATION IF WE LOOKAT THE CASES THAT WERE REPORTEDIN THE LAST WEEK FROM AUGUST10TH, AUGUST 14TH.WE REPORTED 84 ADDITIONALTEACHERS WHO CONTRACTED WHO AREDIAGNOSED WITH CHRONIC VIRUS ANADDITIONAL 132 STUDENTS WITH ANUMBER OF TOTAL STUDENTSQUARANTINE LAST WEEK OF 1970 ANDTEACHERS AND STAFF 328.SO WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF HEADWINDS AS FAR AS KIDS COMING INTOSCHOOL WITH CORONAVIRUS, BUT IWOULD LIKE TO COMMEND OUR SCHOOLSYSTEMS POOR FOR JUMPING ON THISTHIS HIGH NUMBER IS ANINDICATION OF THE SERIOUSNESSWITH WHICH THEY’RE TAKING IT ANDIF WE’RE GOING TO HAVE ASUCCESSFUL IN PERSON, YOU KNOWNEXT MONTH OR SO IT’S GOING TOTAKE THIS SORT OF AGGRESSIVEISOLATION AND QUARANTINEAPPROACH AS WELL AS THEPREVENTIVE MEASURES MAKE SURETHAT WE CAN SUCCESSFULLY REALLYGET THROUGH THE SCHOOL YEAR.SOME SCHOOLS WILL HAVE TO CLOSETEMPORARILY.IT’S INEVITABLE.SO JUST BE PREPARED FOR THAT.THE OTHER THING IS I WOULD LIKETO MENTION THAT TEACHER TESTINGIS AVAILABLE IF YOU GO TO OURWEBSITE OR TO THE UMC WEBSITETEACHERS CAN SIGN UP FOR FREETESTING RIGHT NOW.IT’S ONLY GOING TO BE AT THEEXISTING ROTATIONAL SITES ANDTHE WEST STREET BUT STARTINGMONDAY, WE WILL HAVE OUR OURTEAMS AND ALL THE COUNTY HEALTHDEPARTMENT’S ON THAT ROTATIONAND SO STAY TUNED THAT WILL BEAVAILABLE STARTING NEXT MONDAYIF WE’RE TALKING ABOUT COLLEGES.WE’RE EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUTCOLLEGES.WE’VE SEEN CERTAINLY ACROSS THECOUNTRY A LOT OF SITUATIONSWHERE PEOPLE HAVE HACKEDACTUALLY HAD TO CLOSE COLLEGERIGHT AFTER THEY OPENED IT THECERTAINLY THAT’S NOT SOMETHINGTHAT WE WANT TO SEE WE AREINVESTIGATING TWO OUTBREAKS ONEAT OLE MISS AND ONE ATMISSISSIPPI UNIVERSITY FOR WOMENTHE ONE AT THE W.HAS SOME TRACE BACK TO THECOTTON DISTRICT IN STARKVILLE,NOT A BIG SURPRISE, RIGHT?WE KNOW WHEN PEOPLE SOCIALIZEAND GET IN GROUPS CONCENTRATEDNOT WEARING MASKS.THEY’RE ABSOLUTELY GOING TOSPREAD CORONAVIRUS.SO WE WILL CONTINUE TOINVESTIGATE MORE SO EXPECT MOREINFORMATION AS WE GO FORWARD ONTHAT FRONT AND A GOVERNOR.THAT’S ALL I HAVE TODAY.THANK YOU.DR. DOBBS JUST AS A REMINDER.I KNOW ERICA, I BELIEVE AT ASKEDA COUPLE OF DAYS AGO ABOUT THEDATA FROM WHITE HOUSE BELIEVE WEGOT HER THAT INFORMATION.WE DID DO A CALL WITH THE WHITEHOUSE CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCEYESTERDAY.IT WAS VERY FOCUSED ON LONG-TERMCARE FACILITIES AND AND THE NEEDAND THE DESIRE AND WHAT’SULTIMATELY GOING TO BE THEREQUIREMENT FOR WEEKLY TESTINGOF NURSING HOME.EMPLOYEES THAT’S BEING DRIVEN BYTHE CMS.AND OBVIOUSLY THEY’RE GOING TOBE RECEIVING RAPID TESTS BEINGDISTRIBUTED OVER THE NEXT SIXWEEKS OR SO THAT IS CERTAINLY ANEFFORT THAT WE SUPPORT.WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TOMONITOR THAT AND SUPPORT THAT ASWELL.BUT AS I MENTIONED THREE WEEKSAGO OUR TOTAL NUMBER OF CASESOVER THE 7-DAY PERIOD AND THAT’SSATURDAY TO FRIDAY IS THE DATATHAT THEY LOOK AT IT WAS 9100TWO WEEKS AGO.THAT NUMBER WAS THOUSAND SEVENHUNDRED.LAST WEEK THAT NUMBER WAS 5490 6CASES.OVER THAT SEVEN-DAY PERIOD THATSHOWED MISSISSIPPI HAVINGAPPROXIMATELY 185 CASES PER100,000 RESIDENTS.THAT COMPARED TO THE NUMBER OF171 IN OUR FEMA HHS REGIONOBVIOUSLY SLIGHTLY HIGHER BUTNOT SIGNIFICANTLY SO WITHRESPECT TO TEST POSITIVITY,WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY BEEN A TOPICTHAT IS OF INTEREST CERTAINLY TOSOME IN THE NATIONAL MEDIA OURTEST POSITIVITY FOR THATSEVEN-DAY PERIOD WAS 12.4% THATWAS IN COMPARISON TO OUR FEMAHHS REGIONAL AVERAGE OF 11 POINTZERO.SO AGAIN TEST POSITIVITY ALITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN THEREGION, BUT NOT A LOT.THERE’S A LOT OF FACTORS THAT GOINTO THAT A LOT OF REASONS ONEOF THE THINGS THAT WE’LL SEE ISOUR TESTING NUMBERS.IN LARGE PART ARE DRIVEN BYDEMAND.SO AS PEOPLE FEEL BETTER AS ANDTHEY’RE NOT GOING TO GET TESTSTESTING COMES DOWN BECAUSE WE’RENOT SEEING MANDATORY TESTING INA LOT OF FACILITIES THROUGHOUTOUR STATE.MANY OF OUR TESTS IN FACT AMAJORITY OF OUR TESTS ARE DONEAT PRIVATE LABS AND IFINDIVIDUALS ARE NOT FEELINGSICK.THEY’RE NOT GOING TO THEIR LOCALDOCTOR.THEY’RE NOT GETTING TESTED.OBVIOUSLY THE STATE HEALTH LABIS DOING A LOT OF RANDOM TESTS.THEY DID IT IN HOLMES COUNTY.THEY’RE DOING IT.I THINK I DON’T KNOW IF YOU’VENOTICED THIS BUT IN CHOCTAW ANDTHE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS AND SOTHEY’RE DOING SIGNIFICANTTESTING OUT IN THE COMMUNITIES.BUT AGAIN, TESTING TOTAL TESTINGNUMBERS ARE DRIVEN AS MUCH BYDEMAND AS ANYTHING ELSE.SO OUR NUMBERS ARE 12.4% STILLTOO HIGH, BUT ALSO HEADED IN THERIGHT DIRECTION SLOWLY, BUTSURELY.AS I MENTIONED YESTERDAY THATNUMBER OF TOTAL TEST, EXCUSE ME,TOTAL POSITIVES ON A SEVEN-DAYAVERAGE HAD COME DOWN TO ABOUT700.WE HAD APPROXIMATELY FORTY NINEHUNDRED TOTAL POSITIVE CASES INTHE PREVIOUS SEVEN DAYS THROUGHYESTERDAY.WITH TODAY’S NUMBER LASTWEDNESDAY WAS THE LARGEST.TOTAL NUMBER OF POSITIVE TESTSTHAT WERE REPORTED IN ANY GIVENDAY FOR ALMOST A 14-DAY PERIODTHAT WAS JUST UNDER 1100.SO TODAY’S 1300 PLUS.IS ACTUALLY UP WEEK OVER WEEKOVER THE SAME DAY.THERE WAS ADDITIONAL 200 CASESARE GOING TO PUT US BACK OVERAPPROXIMATELY 5,000.OVER SEVEN DAY PERIOD WHICH ISCERTAINLY NOT THE DIRECTION WEWANT TO GO BUT IT IS ONE DAY BUTIT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THETHINGS THAT WE’RE DOING TODAYARE GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT ONPOSITIVE TEST TWO WEEKS FROMNOW.IN FOUR WEEKS FROM NOW.SO LET’S CONTINUE TO STAYVIGILANT.LET’S CONTINUE TO WORK.WITH THAT I’M GOING TO TURN ITOVER TO OUR DIRECTOR DIRECTOR,MICHELLE OF MISSISSIPPIEMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY WHOWANTS TO TALK A LITTLE BIT.I THINK LOOKING AT THE MAPS THEFACT THAT WE ARE IN HURRICANESEASON IN OUR ARE NUMEROUSSTORMS EAST OF FLORIDA.YES, OR THANK YOU GOVERNOR.GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.YES, UNFORTUNATELY, WE DO HAVESTORM UPDATE TO GIVE EVERYONEBUT FIRST LET ME GIVE YOU AQUICK UPDATE ON THE COVIDEMERGENCY RELIEF FUND AS OFTODAY.WE HAVE RECEIVED 693APPLICATIONS FOR THE EMERGENCYRELIEF FUND OF THOSE NUMBER OFAPPLICATIONS.WE’VE ONLY RECEIVED ABOUT 26PROJECTS.NOW WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE’VE GOTA NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS THATHAVE COME IN AND WE HAVEVALIDATED APPLICATION AS FAR ASTH AFRICAN ITSELF, BUT AS FARAS ACTUAL WORK PROJECTS.WE’VE ONLY GOTTEN ABOUT 26 AGOOD NEWS IS WE’VE GOTTEN ABOUTEIGHT MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OFPROJECTS JUST OVER THE LAST 24HOURS.SO WE’RE STARTING TO SEE THECOUNTY’S PUSH THOSE PROJECTS INSO I WANT TO ENCOURAGE THECOUNTIES MUNICIPALITIES TO DOTHAT.WE ARE RAPIDLY APPROACHING OUROCTOBER 15TH DEADLINE FORSUBMISSION.SO IT’S VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOUDO THAT TO GIVE US THEOPPORTUNITY TO WRAP EVERYTHINGUP BEFORE WE TRANSFER FUNDS OVERR TO THE GOVERNOR.ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKEDABOUT LAST WEEK WITH THEASSOCIATION.I’LL BE TALKING WITH THEM AGAINTOMORROW IS ABOUT PAYROLLEXPENSE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH ANDPUBLIC SAFETY.LOT OF INFORMATION OUT THERETHAT’S GOING TO BE A BIG ONE OFCOUNTIES MUNICIPALITIES TAKEADVANTAGE OF THAT AND DO THATRIGHT AND QUANTIFY THATINFORMATION ACCURATELY.THAT’S GOING TO BE A BIG TICKETITEM FOUR COUNTIESMUNICIPALITIES BETTER TAKEADVANTAGE OF THEM WILL BETALKING ABOUT THAT MORETOMORROW.SO TROPICAL UPDATE.WE ARE CURRENTLY WATCHING THREESYSTEMS THAT ARE MOVING ACROSSAND INTO THE CARIBBEAN BASINONLY TWO OF THOSE THUS FAR HAVEBEEN NAMED.THE FIRST ONE IS INVEST IN 97LIMA.THAT ONE H A MORE SOUTHERLYTRACK AND RIGHT.IT’S TRACKING AND IS PROJECTEDTO THAT CONTINUES ALONG THE SAMEMODELING TRACK AND THINGS ARESTILL VERY IFFY ON THAT.WE COULD SEE POTENTIAL LANDFALLOF THAT SOMEWHERE ALONG THE GULFCOAST LINE WHETHER IT BE,LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, ALABAMAOR EVEN FLORIDA VERY UNKNOWN INTHE NEXT FIVE SEVEN DAYS THESECOND SYSTEM OUT.THERE IS 98 LIMA INVEST 98 LIMA.IT IS TRACKING A LITTLE BIT MORETO THE NORTH YOU’RE LOOKING ATABOUT ANOTHER SEVEN TO TEN DAYSWOULD BE JUST JUST RIGHT BEHINDTHIS SYSTEM IF YOU WERE TO MAKELANDFALL AND COMING TO GULF OFMEXICO AGAIN THE SPAGHETTIMODELS ON BOTH.THESE SYSTEMS ARE STILL VERYIFFY AND THE INTENSITY MODELSTHAT WERE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOWSHOWING THEM AS LOW RISK, BUTLET ME JUST LET ME JUSTREITERATE TO EVERYONE ONCE THESESTORMS INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO.THEY BECOME VERY UNPREDICTABLE.SO THESE STORMS COULD INTENSIFYVERY QUICKLY SO OUT THERE ASYOU’RE WATCHING THESE STORMS PAYCLOSE ATTENTION CONTINUE TO BEPREPARED TO EVACUATE IFNECESSARY, AND THEN THEN FINALLYTHAT THIRD SYSTEM THAT’S OUTTHERE IS BILL, JUST A TROPICALWAVE COMING OFF THE COAST OFAFRICA.IT’S STILL VERY UNDEVELOPED.SO WE’LL CONTINUE TO WATCH THATON