Schools reporting COVID

There have been 37 positive cases of COVID-19 in the Neshoba County School District since school resumed in August and 17 cases for Philadelphia High School, according to the latest report dated Sept. 29 from the Mississippi State Department of Health. 

Some counties have case totals for each elementary, middle and high school in the county, but Neshoba’s is limited to just the county district and Philadelphia High School, according to the reporting. 

In addition, there have been eight faculty/staff at Neshoba who tested positive and 1-5 at Philadelphia.

For the week of Sept. 21-25, there were 1-5 new cases amongst faculty/staff and six among students in the NCSD. There were zero faculty/staff and 1-5 students at PHS during the same time period. 

Cases in Neshoba County are on the rise over the past week.

In Neshoba County, 50 cases have been identified in the last week, bringing the total here to 1,647. 

In total, 100,703 Mississippians have either been confirmed or presumed to have COVID-19, with 3,013 total deaths. 

As of Tuesday, the state reported 106 COVID-related deaths in Neshoba County, up two from last week. There have been 125 cases in long-term care facilities in Neshoba County and 37 deaths.

The MSDH is reporting statewide that hospitalizations have declined from 464 to 427 since last week, with ICU patients down from 138 to 127. Ventilator usage dropped from 67 to 64.

The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians has reported a total of 1,147 positive cases among Tribal members, with nearly half of those coming from the Pearl River community.

The Tribe saw an increase of 27 positive cases within the last week. The Tribe has tested 5,538 members, with 4,278 negative results. Of the positive cases, 1,048 have recovered, 81 have died and three are still hospitalized.

Tribal Chief Cyrus Ben on Tuesday made his fifth extension to the “Stay Safe” executive order that, among other things, requires face coverings at public places on Tribal lands. 

Last week, Gov. Tate Reeves did not renew a statewide mask order after expiration.