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The COVID-19 delta variant is ripping through Mississippi, quadrupling cases numbers since June and leaving behind a deficit of ICU beds, overflowing emergency rooms and shuttered schools.
During a weekly meeting of state health officials on Friday, State Health Officer Thomas Dobbs said COVID-19 in Mississippi is accelerating in the wrong direction. I thought we d be having about 1,000 cases right now, but we re looking at around 2,000 right now every day, Dobbs said.
The Mississippi State Department of Health has recorded over 10,000 new cases of COVID-19 in the past week. Since July 14, coronavirus-related hospitalizations have near tripled.
On Friday, Dobbs said there was a net deficit of beds in the state s intensive care units. While just nine beds are open among smaller hospitals, he noted there were 42 people in other emergency rooms across the state waiting for an ICU bed.
Updated 7/30/2021 3:44 PM
Crystal Lake-based Community High School District 155 will make masks optional for the upcoming school year, the school board and district officials confirmed at a meeting Wednesday night.
This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended all teachers, staff, students and visitors in schools wear face masks indoors regardless of their vaccination status. This recommendation was quickly adopted by the Illinois Department of Public Health. Earlier in July, the CDC had said masks should be worn by those who are not vaccinated.
District 155 Superintendent Steve Olson noted that guidance on reopening schools from state and federal officials continues to shift and change quickly.