Why Mississippi's Coronavirus Situation Is So Alarming
While the virus appears to be ebbing nationally in the United States, some states are showing troubling signs of worsening outbreaks. Take, for example, Mississippi, which stands to become the country's next major hotspot. Dr. Ashish Jha, professor of global health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, recently predicted that Mississippi could overtake Florida as the state with the highest number of cases per capita in the U.S. Overall, Mississippi has reported more than 63,444 cases and more than 1,800 deaths. It's reporting more than 1,000 new cases every day, while hospitalizations and deaths are also increasing:
Even before the pandemic, Mississippi had plenty working against it in terms of public health. It was one of nine U.S. states in which at least 35% of adults had obesity in 2018, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2017-2018, more than 25% of Mississippi children ages 10 to 17 had obesity, more than any other state in the nation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found. In 2016, Mississippi ranked first in the nation for diabetes prevalence, according to the Mississippi State Department of Health. It also has a high poverty rate and the lowest median income out of all states, per U.S. Census Bureau data. All of these are risk factors tied to worse outcomes from COVID-19.
Facing a potential public health nightmare, the state had little choice but to get more serious about its pandemic response. Mississippi governor Tate Reeves, a Republican, reluctantly issued a statewide order yesterday requiring people to wear masks in public. "I hate it more than anybody watching today," Reeves said at a press conference. In addition to the mask mandate, Reeves delayed the start of the school year for middle- and high-school students in eight hard-hit counties; he’s also requiring that kids and adults wear masks when in schools when they do open up (unless they have a medical exemption).
Also yesterday, Mississippi state health officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs ordered anyone who tests positive in the state to self-isolate, and announced that those who did not would face a $500 fine, up to six months in jail, or both; the state will issue even harsher penalties for violations that result in a life-threatening situation.
Given that it takes time for new anti-virus measures to have a notable impact, it’s likely that Mississippi’s situation will get worse before it gets better. But these new steps could help keep the state's crisis from getting significantly worse, at least.
TODAY'S CORONAVIRUS OUTLOOK
The Global Situation
More than 18.5 million people around the world had been sickened by COVID-19 as of 1 AM eastern time today, and more than 700,000 people have died.
Here is every country with over 250,000 confirmed cases:
Latin America overtook Europe yesterday as the global region with the highest number of coronavirus deaths, according to Reuters. More than 206,000 people have died there, accounting for about 30% of total global deaths. Brazil leads the pack, with the second-highest death toll (94,665) and case count (2.75 million) in the world. Deaths are also rising in Mexico, while the infection is picking up speed in Colombia, Peru, Argentina and Bolivia.
Victoria, Australia's second-most populated state, is now under lockdown for a second time, the Associated Press reports. The virus is surging there, with 725 new cases and 15 deaths in the past 24 hours. Residents are under a nighttime curfew and other measures; violators face a hefty fine.
Cases in Japan are on the upswing, just as the country was gearing up to restart its tourism industry, VOA reports. The country has reported more than 1,000 cases for two days in a row, mainly in Tokyo, Osaka and other metro areas. Recently, cases have even spread to Northern Japan’s Iwate prefecture, a region that previously went untouched by the virus.
The Situation in the U.S.
The U.S. recorded more than 4.77 million coronavirus cases as of 1 AM eastern time today. More than 156,000 people have died. Here's where daily cases have risen or fallen over the last 14 days, shown in confirmed cases per 100,000 residents:
On August 4, there were 57,540 new cases and 1,399 new deaths confirmed in the U.S. Here's how the country as a whole is currently trending:
The Democratic and Republican governors of six states—Maryland, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Virginia and Ohio—are working together to reduce testing delays by joining forces with the Rockefeller Foundation to buy 3 million rapid tests, the New York Times reports. Widespread demand and a shortage of testing chemicals has resulted in delays of up to several days in many states, which makes it harder to identify infections and curb spread. “It’s like having no testing,” one orthopedic surgeon told the Times.
Chicago’s public schools are going online-only this September, the Wall Street Journalreports. The city was set to adopt a hybrid model, with some in-person classes and some virtual lessons, but scrapped those plans after opposition from parents and teachers. The vast majority of large public-school districts in the country now plan to be totally online this coming school year, though New York City is still committed to the hybrid model.
While this year’s Democratic National Convention will technically take place in Milwaukee, it will be entirely virtual, the Democratic National Committee announced today. No national Democratic officials will travel from out of state to attend—including former Vice President Joe Biden, who will accept the party’s presidential nomination from his home in Delaware, the New York Times reports.
All numbers unless otherwise specified are from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering, and are accurate as of August 5, 1 AM eastern time. To see larger, interactive versions of these maps and charts, click here.
WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW
CDC Warns That Another Virus Is Expected to Strike Soon
As if 2020 wasn’t already bad enough, the threat of another viral illness is looming, TIME’s Jeffrey Kluger reports. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention yesterday warned Americans of a paralytic condition called acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), a rare, polio-like illness that tends to strike children every other year. Officials are urging parents not to let the COVID-19 pandemic stop them from immediately seeking care for their children if they notice symptoms, which can include muscle and neck weakness as well as a facial droop or slurred speech. Read more here.
Cancer Diagnoses Are Going Down—But That’s Not a Good Thing
When the pandemic took hold in the U.S., many people were told to put off routine care, including cancer screenings. But some experts worried such advice would lead to fewer people getting a timely diagnosis. Their fears are being realized: new research finds that, from March to April, the number of new diagnoses for six common cancer types plummeted by 46%, STAT reports—and it isn’t because fewer people are getting cancer. Read more here.
Photos Surface of Packed Hallways in Georgia Schools
In some parts of the U.S., school is already in session, but social distancing is not. Viral photos showing crowded halls and unmasked students are emerging from recently reopened schools in the Atlanta suburbs, the AP reports. The schools are following a “masks-optional” policy, despite the fact that an average of 42 people died from COVID-19 per day over the last week. Read more here.
Immunity Is Complicated. Unfortunately, It’s More Important Than Ever
How much do you really know about your immune system? The Atlantic’s Ed Yong breaks down the body’s second-most complex system and lucidly explains how it works to protect you from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Read more here.
Thanks for reading. We hope you find the Coronavirus Brief newsletter to be a helpful tool to navigate this very complex situation, and welcome feedback at coronavirus.brief@time.com.
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Today's newsletter was written by Mandy Oaklander and edited by Alex Fitzpatrick.
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