Montgomery County has now registered more than 1,000 cases since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Carroll County numbers also continue to rise as the state overall sees another week of rapidly rising case numbers
As of press time Wednesday, Montgomery County had reported a total of 1,027 total positive cases and Carroll County reported 964.
During the week of Dec. 26, Montgomery County reported 28 new cases, bringing the total at that time to 953. According to the Mississippi Department of Health’s website, none of those cases were affiliated with an outbreak in the county. The MSDH is now reporting a third outbreak that is tied to a nursing home in the county at this time.
During the week of Dec. 26, Carroll County reported 19 new cases with one associated with an outbreak in a long-term care facility, bringing the total to 911 cases at that point.
Gov. Tate Reeves said during a press conference Monday that elderly Mississippians and those in nursing homes or working in nursing homes or at-home health will now be offered the opportunity to be vaccinated. Vaccinations will be available at local health departments through a partnership between the MSDH and the University of Mississippi Medical Center. However, they are not necessarily available at all health department drive-through locations.
Those in Carroll and Montgomery counties who are 75 and older who wish to be vaccinated may set up an appointment at the nearby health departments in Lowndes, Leflore, Lafayette, Panola, Oktibbeha and Washington counties. Other health department vaccination locations are in Harrison, Pike and Rankin counties. An appointment must be made in advance in order to be vaccinated. Lowndes and Leflore county health departments will provide vaccinations Thursday and Oktibbeha, Lafayette, Panola and Washington county health departments will have vaccinations available Friday.
Reeves said the state’s healthcare systems is stressed and overwhelmed and he encouraged citizens to continue to wear masks, stay six feet away from others and to avoid gathering in large groups. Montgomery and Carroll counties are among the 78 of 82 Mississippi counties which remain under a mask mandate.
