The Mississippi State Department of Health confirmed 52 new cases of COVID-19 in Lauderdale County Monday, for a total of 432 and one additional death, for a total of 27.

The new numbers were reported around the same time Gov. Tate Reeves announced the next phase for Mississippi to begin loosening more restrictions on businesses and public spaces.

In a new executive order, Reeves amended his Safer At Home order, which he signed over a week ago and still remains in effect until Monday, May 11. The new guidelines go into effect from 8 a.m. Thursday to 8 a.m. Monday, when the previous order expires.

The new order outlines steps that restaurants can reopen, such as deep cleaning, screening employees daily and providing face masks for employees. Seating capacity must also be reduced to 50 percent, according to the order.

Semmes Martin, manager of The Rustler in Meridian, said the restaurant hoped to reopen Thursday under the new guidelines, but would likely still offer curbside and delivery service.

Under the governor’s order, gatherings are limited to a maximum of 10 people for indoor activities and a maximum of 20 people for outside activities.

Parks can open to the public from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. for outdoor recreation under guidance from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks and local authorities, with people following social distancing guidelines such as 6 feet separation, according to the order. Outdoor recreation activities, such as swimming, are also allowed within those same hours.

“I don’t want to wait if there are steps that we believe we can safely take now to ease the burden on Mississippians fighting this virus,” Reeves said in a statement. “There are thousands around the state that are set to close their doors for good. They cannot hold on much longer. I hope that this will not only be some much-needed relief for those restaurant employees but also provide for some joy for the people of Mississippi.”

Of Lauderdale County’s confirmed cases, 100 are from long-term care facilities, MSDH data shows.

The county has the highest total of deaths in the state and the second highest total of cases, according to the health department.

As of Monday, Anderson Regional Medical Center was hospitalizing 16 patients, the lowest total in 11 days.

Rush Foundation Hospital is not providing daily hospitalization numbers.

In the latest update, MSDH reported 62 cases and three deaths in Clarke County, 79 cases and three deaths in Kemper County, 222 cases and four deaths in Neshoba County and 93 cases in Newton County.

MSDH reported 327 new cases of COVID-19 in Mississippi Monday, for a total of 7,877 and seven additional deaths, for a total of 310 deaths statewide.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center and MSDH will conduct drive-through testing at sites in Clarke and Neshoba Counties this week.

To be tested, you must first complete a screening using the C Spire Health smartphone app, available daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Those without a smartphone may call a UMMC clinician at (601) 496-7200. An appointment at a testing site will be given, if warranted.

Testing will be available Wednesday, May 6 at the Neshoba County Coliseum, 1200 Highway 15 North, in Philadelphia, and Friday, May 8 at the Clarke County Emergency Management Agency, 642 S. Archusa Ave., in Quitman.

Mississippi COVID-19 Cases to Date

Table of all total cases and deaths, and those in long-term care (LTC) facilities, since March 11, 2020.

County	Total Cases	Total Deaths	Total LTC Facility Cases	Total LTC Facility Deaths
Adams	149	9	24	4
Alcorn	10	1	0	0
Amite	30	0	1	0
Attala	128	2	35	2
Benton	12	0	1	0
Bolivar	110	7	14	1
Calhoun	56	4	23	4
Carroll	77	2	4	1
Chickasaw	78	8	25	6
Choctaw	14	1	0	0
Claiborne	30	0	0	0
Clarke	62	3	11	2
Clay	52	2	0	0
Coahoma	70	3	0	0
Copiah	124	1	2	1
Covington	74	0	0	0
Desoto	304	4	1	1
Forrest	248	14	21	6
Franklin	18	1	0	0
George	14	1	0	0
Greene	6	1	0	0
Grenada	35	2	14	2
Hancock	68	5	6	3
Harrison	184	6	1	1
Hinds	542	9	16	5
Holmes	168	10	27	2
Humphreys	25	4	6	2
Itawamba	64	4	32	3
Jackson	267	7	39	1
Jasper	62	1	0	0
Jefferson	23	0	0	0
Jefferson Davis	43	1	2	0
Jones	185	2	13	0
Kemper	79	3	19	1
Lafayette	93	3	35	0
Lamar	121	3	1	0
Lauderdale	432	27	100	14
Lawrence	53	0	1	0
Leake	247	2	0	0
Lee	72	4	5	0
Leflore	174	17	42	7
Lincoln	154	11	49	7
Lowndes	61	3	5	2
Madison	286	10	39	7
Marion	75	7	14	2
Marshall	48	2	0	0
Monroe	175	16	88	14
Montgomery	35	1	0	0
Neshoba	222	4	25	0
Newton	93	0	1	0
Noxubee	88	1	9	1
Oktibbeha	54	3	9	3
Panola	40	2	0	0
Pearl River	181	20	41	6
Perry	31	1	0	0
Pike	155	7	13	4
Pontotoc	22	2	4	0
Prentiss	32	1	20	1
Quitman	16	0	0	0
Rankin	207	6	6	0
Scott	369	2	9	1
Sharkey	5	0	0	0
Simpson	49	0	2	0
Smith	81	4	23	2
Stone	22	0	0	0
Sunflower	57	3	0	0
Tallahatchie	12	1	0	0
Tate	45	0	1	0
Tippah	58	10	0	0
Tishomingo	8	0	1	0
Tunica	36	2	12	2
Union	30	2	8	1
Walthall	33	0	0	0
Warren	83	2	5	0
Washington	77	3	4	1
Wayne	24	0	1	0
Webster	20	1	0	0
Wilkinson	70	7	5	2
Winston	49	0	0	0
Yalobusha	20	0	0	0
Yazoo	151	2	0	0
Total	7,877	310	915	125

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