COVID-19 cases in LTC facilities continue to rise in South Mississippi

JACKSON, Miss. (WLOX) - Cases of COVID-19 across Mississippi continue to rise, with a similar trend continuing in long-term care facilities.

Twenty-one LTC facilities reported cases of COVID-19 in residents and staff this week in the six southernmost counties.

The Mississippi State Department of Health recently clarified an outbreak will now be defined by a single confirmed COVID-19 infection in an LTC resident or more than one COVID-19 infection in employees or staff in a 14-day period.

One case of COVID-19 in an employee of an LTC facility will still prompt an investigation by MSDH.

LTC facilities in South Mississippi reported 207 cases in staff members, 246 cases in residents and 26 resident deaths related to COVID-19.

In Mississippi, there were 825 new cases of COVID-19 and 37 new deaths reported Saturday by state health officials.

The names of the facilities where outbreaks have been reported had previously been withheld, citing patient privacy.

[ TABLE: An in-depth look at the number of cases in long-term care facilities ]

A Hinds County Chancery Court ruling said the names of facilities with outbreaks of COVID-19 should be disclosed out of public interest, and the court agreed. A further recommendation from the state attorney general backed up the decision.

While the names of the specific facilities were released, the names of individual patients will still not be public, nor will how many cases each facility has reported.

Copyright 2020 WLOX. All rights reserved.