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Mayor Percy Bland announced on Friday that the City of Meridian is extending its mask mandate until Nov. 30.

He said that COVID-19 caseload numbers in Meridian continue to rise.

“We’ve had several deaths over the last couple of weeks,” he said. “We just feel like at this time, based on data and trends, it’s in the best interest of our people here in Meridian to continue this mask mandate.”

Under the mask order, businesses must require customers to wear a mask to enter the building.

It also requires citizens to wear a mask when they are “out and amongst the public” and mandates that business employees wear a mask when interacting with the public.

The Mississippi State Department of Health reported on Friday 28 new cases of COVID-19 in Lauderdale County and no additional deaths, bringing the county’s totals to 2,639 cases and 135 deaths since March.

Statewide, the department reported 749 new COVID-19 cases and 18 additional deaths, bringing the state’s totals to 119,336 cases and 3,328 deaths since Mississippi began tracking the virus in March.

Of the additional deaths reported in the state on Friday, five occurred between October 14 and 28, and 13 occurred between July 31 and October 25.

In Newton County, three new cases were reported; the county has had a total of 884 cases. No new deaths were reported; the county has had 28 COVID-19 related deaths since March.

In Kemper County, one new case was reported, bringing the case total to 335. No new deaths were reported; 15 deaths have been reported since March.

Clarke County reported two new cases, leading to a total of 785 cases. No new deaths were reported; the county has had 53 COVID-19 related deaths since March.

In Neshoba County, 11 new cases were reported, bringing the case total to 1,894. No new deaths were reported; 111 deaths have been reported since March.

The Department of Health presumes 101,385 people have recovered from COVID-19. The department also reported that there are 131 ongoing outbreaks of COVID-19 in long-term-care facilities. 

Gov. Tate Reeves announced new COVID-19 safety measures for seven counties in the state on Monday. The counties include Leake, Jones, Harrison, Madison, Marshall, Carroll and Benton. Reeves had placed restrictions on nine other counties on Oct. 19, including Neshoba County, so there are now 16 counties on the list.

In these counties, indoor social gatherings must be limited to 10 people and outdoor social gatherings must be limited to 50. People in the counties have to wear a mask when they are indoors and interacting with the public, but cannot social distance.