Leflore County’s death toll from COVID-19 is now 17.
A man in his 60s died Wednesday at Greenwood Leflore Hospital from the respiratory disease, according to Christine Hemphill, a hospital spokeswoman. He had underlying health conditions, she said.
His death was reported in Thursday’s update by the Mississippi State Department of Health.
All 17 people to die in the county have been African American, and at least 16 of them had other health problems.
Meanwhile, Carroll County’s number of cases of COVID-19 jumped substantially. Thirteen new cases were added to the total Thursday, bringing it to 38. Carroll County has had only one person die from the disease.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.
African Americans have been disproportionally impacted by the disease. In addition to accounting for all of the deaths in Leflore County, they have also had almost 90% of the confirmed cases of COVID-19. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s latest estimate, the county’s black population is 75%.
Statewide, the racial disparities have lessened somewhat in recent days, but still African Americans have accounted for the majority of cases (52%) and deaths (58%). Mississippi’s black population is 38%.
Health experts have said the gap, which is occurring nationwide, reflects the large number of African Americans who have underlying health conditions — such as heart disease or diabetes — or who have less access to medical care.
As of Thursday morning, Greenwood Leflore Hospital was treating 12 patients in its 16-bed COVID-19 unit, Hemphill said.
Eleven of the patients have the illness, and three of them were on ventilators to help them breathe. The other patient was suspected of having the virus but was not on a ventilator.
Leflore County has had 148 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the outbreak began in mid-March. Its death toll is the third highest in the state, behind Lauderdale County’s 20 and Pearl River County’s 19.
Statewide, there have been 6,815 cases of COVID-19 and 261 deaths. Thursday’s Health Department report included 246 new cases and 11 deaths.
