Mississippi COVID-19 map as of testing completed by 6 p.m. April 3.

UPDATE: Saturday, April 4, 10:15 a.m.

Lauderdale County experienced its first death attributed to COVID-19, according to the Mississippi Department of Health.

The state reported 97 cases and six new deaths in statistics released Saturday morning. The numbers reflect tests completed by 6 p.m. Friday.

In total, 1,455 cases and 35 deaths have been reported in the state. Sixty-one cases have been reported in Lauderdale County and outbreaks have been reported at three of the county’s long-term care facilities.

None of the Mississippi counties bordering Lauderdale County have reported more than six cases. Newton County has an outbreak at one long-term care facility.

Anderson Regional Medical Center reported Saturday it had hospitalized 11 patients who have tested positive for COVID-19.

Please check back for updates.

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Support continues for healthcare workers as Mississippi prepares to enter its first weekend of a shelter-in-place order during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A group of Meridian firefighters showed their appreciation to staff at Anderson Regional Medical Center and Rush Foundation Hospital on Friday. 

The crew parked a fire truck on 14th Street, then raised a huge American flag over the thoroughfare. 

Nurses and other staff stood across the street, spelling out ‘Thank You” as drivers passed by, beeping their car horns.

The gesture aimed to encourage those working on the frontline during the crisis, said MFD Chief Ricky Leister.

The Mississippi State Department of Health confirmed 181 new cases of COVID-19 Friday, bringing the state’s total number of cases to 1,358. 

Lauderdale County had 50 cases and three total outbreaks at long-term care facilities in the latest count.

The health department reported three additional deaths in Chickasaw, Pontotoc and Tippah Counties Friday, bringing the total number of deaths statewide to 29. 

Anderson Regional Medical Center in Meridian reported Friday it had hospitalized 10 patients who have tested positive for COVID-19. 

Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann is asking churches to ring their bells each night at 6 p.m. beginning April 6 through the end of the statewide shelter-in-place order on Monday, April 20. Citizens may ring bells from their front porches, Hosemann said.

Mississippi COVID-19 Cases to Date

Outbreaks in long-term care facilities (LTCs)

Long-term care (LTC) facilities like nursing homes are considered high risk locations because their residents are older or in poor health. Even one case of COVID-19 in these facilities among residents or employees is considered an outbreak. We investigate residents, staff and close contacts of infected individuals for possible exposure. The number of LTC facilities with outbreaks are shown for each county in the table below.

County	Cases	Deaths	LTCs with Outbreaks
Adams	16		1
Alcorn	6
Amite	6	1	1
Attala	14
Benton	5
Bolivar	34	1	1
Calhoun	4		1
Carroll	5
Chickasaw	15	2	1
Choctaw	8
Claiborne	1
Clarke	5
Clay	7
Coahoma	27	1
Copiah	12
Covington	4
Desoto	118	1
Forrest	34		1
Franklin	4
George	4
Grenada	4
Hancock	30	1	2
Harrison	70	3	1
Hinds	140		2
Holmes	17	1
Humphreys	4	1
Itawamba	3
Jackson	79	1	1
Jasper	3
Jefferson	2
Jones	9
Kemper	4
Lafayette	21	1
Lamar	13
Lauderdale	61	1	3
Lawrence	4
Leake	8
Lee	28	1
Leflore	22	1	1
Lincoln	14		1
Lowndes	13
Madison	67		2
Marion	6		1
Marshall	20	1
Monroe	12	1	1
Montgomery	10	1
Neshoba	6
Newton	6		1
Noxubee	5
Oktibbeha	24		1
Panola	10	1
Pearl River	43	1	1
Perry	13	1
Pike	23
Pontotoc	12	1
Prentiss	9		1
Quitman	5
Rankin	66	1
Scott	17
Sharkey	2
Simpson	5
Smith	6		1
Sunflower	18	1
Tallahatchie	2
Tate	14
Tippah	31	3
Tishomingo	1
Tunica	15	1	1
Union	6		1
Walthall	12
Warren	3		1
Washington	31
Wayne	2
Webster	11	1
Wilkinson	25	3	1
Winston	11
Yalobusha	9
Yazoo	19	1
Total	1,455	35	30

The numbers in this table are provisional. County case numbers and deaths may change as investigation finds new or additional information about residence.

–Mississippi Department of Health