Another nursing home resident has died in Leflore County from COVID-19, raising the county’s total death count to 21.
The death was reported in Wednesday’s update by the Mississippi State Department of Health. A check of the records indicates the victim was not a patient at Greenwood Leflore Hospital, according to Christine Hemphill, a hospital spokeswoman.
The individual was African American, as have been all the deaths from the respiratory disease so far in the county.
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. Nursing homes or other long-term care facilities are particularly vulnerable.
Earlier this week, White House officials recommended that every nursing home occupant and employee be tested for COVID-19 in the next two weeks.
In Leflore County, the last six people to have died from the virus had been residents of nursing homes or other long-term care facilities. In all, these facilities have accounted for 52% of the county’s COVID-19 deaths (11 out of 21) and 26% of its cases. Statewide, they have represented just 13% of the more than 10,000 cases but 46% of the 465 deaths.
Three of the four individuals to die from the disease in Carroll County have been residents of long-term care facilities.
Two nursing homes have been the locus for the most severe outbreaks in the two-county area — Crystal Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Greenwood and Vaiden Community Living Center.
Although the Department of Health does not identify the long-term facilities with outbreaks, the two are believed to be the only ones currently with active outbreaks.
Joe Gimenez, who represents Crystal Rehab’s parent company, Nexion Health, said the nursing home has had 35 residents test positive and 45 negative since testing for the virus began.
“The Center is retesting residents as their symptoms improve. Today we retested 27 residents and are awaiting results,” he said in an email Wednesday.
The Department of Health reported Wednesday a total of eight new deaths statewide from COVID-19.
Leflore County is tied with Monroe County for the fourth highest number of deaths among the state’s 82 counties. Lauderdale County, which has 17 active outbreaks at long-term care facilities, leads by far with 45 deaths, followed by Pearl River County with 25 and Forrest County with 23.
As of Wednesday morning, Greenwood Leflore Hospital was treating six patients with the virus at its COVID-19 unit, according to Hemphill. Two of the patients were on ventilators to help them breathe.
Mississippi COVID-19 cases and deaths as of May 12, 2020
Carroll County COVID-19 cases and deaths as of May 12, 2020
