Leflore County has experienced its third death from COVID-19.
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A man in his late 70s “with a lot of health issues” died at Greenwood Leflore Hospital, according to hospital spokeswoman Christine Hemphill.
No other information about the patient was being released because of federal privacy laws.
The death was one of eight additional deaths reported Sunday by the Mississippi State Department of Health. The total mortality count in the state from the new coronavirus is now 43. There have been 1,638 cases of COVID-19 in Mississippi since the outbreak began last month, an increase of 183 from the day before.
The number of cases remained unchanged for both Leflore County (22) and Carroll County (5).
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.
Thirty-seven of the 43 COVID-19 deaths in Mississippi, or 86%, have been of people at least 60 years of age. In Leflore County, the three who have died – two men and one woman – have been in their 60s or 70s. All three also had other health complications.
On Friday, Mississippi went under a statewide partial lockdown following Gov. Tate Reeves’ shelter-at-home order, which is designed to slow the spread of the respiratory disease. The order limits social or church gatherings to 10 people or less, requires non-essential businesses to close and directs people to stay at home except for essential outings, such as to purchase groceries, or to get individual exercise outdoors.
Concurrent with the governor’s mandate, Greenwood Mayor Carolyn McAdams ordered a citywide nightly curfew that runs from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Both the governor’s order and the curfew are to stay in place until April 20.
• Contact Tim Kalich at 581-7243 or tkalich@gwcommonwealth.com.
