'We are in the middle of a spike,' governor says

Mississippi's COVID-19 cases are spiking, Gov. Tate Reeves says.

TODAY ON MONDAY.JULY THE 13TH AS YOU ALL KNOWTHAT TODAY WE HAVE STRICTERMEASURES GOING INTO EFFECT IN 13COUNTIES.WE FACE DOWN THE THREAT OFCOVID-19.WE HAVE SUSPENDED ELECTIVEPROCEDURES IN OUR HOSPITALS TOPREVENT THEM FROM BECOMINGOVERWHELMED.YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE PUSHED BACKIN PAST MONTHS WHEN PEOPLE CLAIMTHAT AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBEROF CASES WAS A SPIKE IN,MISSISSIPPI.TO MY FELLOW MISSISSIPPIANS AREURGE YOU TO PLEASE MAKE NOMISTAKE.WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A SPIKETODAY.IN THOSE 13 COUNTIES, WE PUTADDITIONAL LIMITS ON SOCIALGATHERINGS.WE’VE SAID THAT MASKS AREREQUIRED AT PUBLIC GATHERINGSAND IN RETAIL ENVIRONMENTS.I’M ASKING EVERY MISSISSIPPIANTO PLEASE JOIN US IN ATTEMPTINGTO HELP US SLOW THE SPREAD OFTHE VIRUS.I HOPE THAT THROUGHOUT THISPEOPLE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE ME.AS AN HONEST BROKER HAVE AVOIDEDHYPERBOLE AT ALL TIMES.I HAVE NEVER SAID ANYTHING IN ANATTEMPT TO SCARE PEOPLE.ONLY TOO PLAINLY STATE WHAT WEARE SEEING THERE ARE PLENTY OFPEOPLE WHO HAVE SAID THAT WEHAVE NOT GONE FAR ENOUGH.THERE ARE ALSO PLENTY OF PEOPLEWHO HAVE SAID WE ARE GOING TOOFAR.I’VE ALWAYS TRIED TO SHOWRESTRAINT.I’VE ALSO TAKEN STEPS.I NEVER IMAGINED I’D HAVE TOTAKE I SAY ALL OF THAT IN HOPESTHAT PEOPLE WILL TRUST ME WHEN ITELL YOU.THIS IS THE WORST THAT HAS EVERBEEN FOR SPREAD OF CASES IN OURSTATE.IT IS THE MOST STRESSED OURHOSPITAL SYSTEM HAS BEEN TODATE.RIGHT NOW THERE IS A BACKLASHAGAINST CORONAVIRUS MITIGATION.IT’S UNDERSTANDABLE.THE SKYS FALLING PREDICTIONS OFTHE SPRING WERE NOT REALIZED BUTWE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THATIS PARTLY BECAUSE THERE WERESOME WHO SPUN THEMSELVES UP.COULD NOT CONTROL THEIRRHETORIC.BUT IT’S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WEUNDERSTAND IT IS MOSTLY BECAUSEBACK THEN.JUST A FEW SHORT WEEKS AGO.WE ALL TOOK THE CORONAVIRUS ATLEAST SOMEWHAT SERIOUSLY.SOME TOOK EXTRAORDINARY MEASURESTO PROTECT THEMSELVES AND THEIRLOVED ONES.BUT EVERYONE WAS WILLING TO DOSOMETHING.RIGHT NOW IT SEEMS LIKE THERE’SA GOOD NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVERESIGNED THEMSELVES TO SPREADINGTHE VIRUS.OR THEY BELIEVE THAT IT IS NOTREAL.I HEAR THAT ALL THE TIME.I’M TELLING YOU.IT IS REAL.IT IS VERY REAL.YOU CAN SEE IT IN OUR DEATHTOLL.WE AS A STATE ARE IN THE THICKOF THINGS.THE BEST WAY THAT WE KNOW TOAVOID THE SHUTDOWNS OF SCHOOLSSPORTS AND WORK.RIGHT NOW IS TO ENCOURAGE YOU TOWEAR A MASK.I KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVETROUBLE BELIEVING THAT.THERE WAS A CONCERTED PUSH ATTHE BEGINNING OF THIS PANDEMIC.TO DISCOURAGE MASK USE FROM THEHIGHEST LEVELS OF OUR GOVERNMENTAND FROM THE HIGHEST LEVELS OFOUR HEALTH COMMUNITY.IT MAKES GUYS LIKE ME.WHO ARE ALREADY SKEPTICAL BYNATURE?I HAVE A HARD TIME BELIEVINGTHIS TIME AROUND.BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW I’M HERETO TELL YOU I HAVE DIRECTLYASKED EVERY HARD QUESTION YOU’VEWONDERED ABOUT.WHY?CHANGE IN TONE.OUR MASKS REALLY EFFECTIVE WE’VELOOKED AT EVERY AVAILABLE TOOL.AND I PROMISE YOU THIS.THIS IS THE BEST WEAPON WE HAVERIGHT NOW.IT’S NOT FUN.BUT IT’S A HELL OF A LOT BETTERTHAN WIDESPREAD ECONOMICSHUTDOWNS.AND IF WE DON’T DO SOMETHING.THAT’S THE TRAJECTORY THAT WEARE ON.THE PRESIDENT IS WEARING A MASK?I’M WEARING A MASK.WE’RE ALL DOING IT.IT’S GOT TO HAPPEN OR WE’REGOING TO FIND OURSELVES IN APLACE AS BAD AS WE TALKED ABOUTIN MARCH AND APRIL AND THIS BADAS WE CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE.SCIENTISTS THROUGHOUT THIS HAVESOMETIMES GOTTEN THINGS WRONG.MODELS HAVE BEEN FLAWED.EXPERTS AND PUNDITS HAVE BEENOVERLY CONFIDENT.AND OVERLY DRAMATIC AT DIFFERENTTIMES THAT WHIPLASH.IS CONFUSING I GET IT.IT’S BEEN CONFUSING TO ME ATTIMES AS WELL.BUT I’M TELLING YOU.WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES TODAY?THIS IS NOT A HYPOTHETICAL.WE DON’T KNOW THE EFFECTS OFTHIS VIRUS FROM EXPERIMENTS ORFROM OTHER STATES.WE’RE SEEING IT RIGHT HERE RIGHTNOW.THE VIRUS IS DEADLY.IT IS SPREADING.IN FACT OUR EXPERTS BELIEVE WEARE WITNESSING A MORE CONTAGIOUSSTRAIN TEAR THROUGH OUR STATERIGHT NOW.IT’S ABOVE MY LEVEL OFEXPERTISE, BUT THEY’VE ANALYZEDIT.THEY BELIEVE THAT THE VIRUS ISMUTATING.PERHAPS EVEN MORE CONTAGIOUS ANDMAYBE EVEN GETTING MOREPOWERFUL.THIS IS MISSISSIPPI’S MOMENT.THIS IS OUR TIME TO FIGHT.I BELIEVE IT’S COMING FOR EVERYCORNER OF THIS COUNTRY, BUT IT’SCOMING AT DIFFERENT TIMES.THIS IS OUR TIME.WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR TOM.URGE, YOU STAY CALM.

BUT STAY INCONTROL.DO NOT PANIC.BUT PERSEVERE WE CAN BEAT THISTHING WORKING TOGETHER.AND WE CAN SAVE LIVES.I WOULD SUBMIT TO YOU.THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE DOING EVERYTIME YOU CHOOSE TO WEAR A MASK.EVERY SMART MOVE YOU MAKE EVERYSACRIFICE YOU MAKE EVERY LITTLEACTION YOU TAKE.THE END RESULT YOU ARE HELPINGTO SAVE LIVES.I BELIEVE IN MY HEART WE CAN DOTHIS.I ALSO BELIEVE IN MY HEART THATWE HAVE TO DO THIS.WE WILL COME THROUGH THIS BUTONLY IF WE ARE COMMITTED TO ONEANOTHER.WE WILL COME THROUGH THIS BUTONLY IF WE’RE COMMITTED TOWORKING TOGETHER.AS ONE DR. DOBBS, WOULD YOUPLEASE GIVE US AN UPDATE ON OURNUMBERS?THANK YOU GOVERNOR TODAY.WE’RE REPORTING 393 NEW CASESFOR A TOTAL NUMBER OF THIRTY SIXTHOUSAND SIX REPORTING ONE DEATHA DAY AND A TOTAL DEATH COUNT OF1250.KEEP IN MIND THAT LIKELYREPRESENTS A WEEKEND REPORTINGDROP WOULDN’T COUNT ON THISBEING A TREND CERTAINLY WILLCONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS CLOSELYIF YOU LOOK BACK AT THE DATAOVER.PAST SEVERAL WEEKS ABOUT DATE OFONSET WHEN PEOPLE FIRST BECAMEILL YOU’LL NOTICE THAT ON JULY 8WE HAD BY FAR THE LARGEST NUMBEROF PEOPLE REPORTING THAT THEY’REILL AT 1071 NOT COINCIDENTALLY.THAT’S EXACTLY FOUR DAYS FROMJULY 4TH AND THE WEEKEND ANDINCUBATION PERIOD IS FOUR TOFIVE DAYS.SO WE’RE CERTAINLY VERYCONCERNED THAT WE’RE GOING TOSEE ONGOING CASES RELATED TOHOLIDAY FESTIVITIES AS AS ALITTLE BIT OF MYTHBUSTERS.I WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND SAYA COUPLE THINGS REAL QUICKLY.EVERY TIME YOU TEST SOMEONE ITDOESN’T MATTER ONE PERSON IS ONECASE PEOPLE ASK ME OVER AND OVERAGAIN IF WE TEST SOMEONE THREETIMES DOES THAT TOWN IS THREECASES?ABSOLUTELY NOT.IF WE TEST SOME 120 TIMES THESAME PERSON IS GOING TO BE JUSTONE CASE SO THERE IS NO CASEINFLATION FOR NUMBER OF TESTS BYINDIVIDUAL PLEASE WE NEED TO SETTHAT RUMOR TO REST.THE OTHER THING IS PEOPLE HAVEASKED ABOUT IS THE ANTIBODIES.ARE WE DRIVING UP OUR CASE COUNTWITH ANTIBODIES?OF OUR TOTAL 36 THOUSAND SIXHUNDRED EIGHTY CASES ANTIBODYTESTS.SO IT’S A SMALL NUMBER AND IT’SONLY PEOPLE HAVE A POSITIVEANTIBODY TESTS AND EITHERSYMPTOMS CONSISTENT WITHCORONAVIRUS WERE AN OWN PERSONALCONTACT.SO THAT’S NOT DRIVING UP THENUMBERS.IT’S CORONAVIRUS THAT’S DRIVINGUP THE NUMBERS ITSELF.IF WE LOOK AT HOSPITALUTILIZATION, IT’S SOMETHING WECONTINUE TO WATCH WITH GREATCONCERN.WE’VE HAD AN INCREASE IN TOTALCASES HOSPITALIZED 758 CONFIRMEDCASES TODAY WITH AN ADDITIONALTWO HUNDRED SIXTY TWO SUSPECTSFOR TOTAL NUMBER OF 1020 IF WELOOK AT HER I SEE YOUUTILIZATION THAT IS INCREASED ASWELL 208 AND VENTILATOR USE HASINCREASED 210 AGAIN THINGS THATWE ARE NOT SURPRISED ABOUT ANDPREDICTED BECAUSEHOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATHS ALLOVER TIME FROM WHEN THE CASESSTART ELEVATING IF WE LOOK AT ABED AVAILABILITY IN THE JACKSONAREA.THERE ARE FOUR HOSPITALSCURRENTLY WITH NO INTENSIVE CAREUNIT BEDS AVAILABLE IN IN THESTATE.THERE ARE EIGHT HOSPITALS WITHNO ICU CAPACITY AVAILABLE.I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENDHOSPITALS FOR ADDING CAPACITYFOR MISSISSIPPI HOSPITALS HAVEADDED ICU BEDS FROM THEIR SURGECAPACITY AND OUR STAFFING THEMTO MEET THE NEED OF MISSISSIPPIPATIENTS.THIS IS SOMETHING WE’LL CONTINUETO WORK ON AGGRESSIVELY ANDWORK.HE WORKING ON MAKING SURE WEPOST INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITEABOUT THE NUMBER OF BEDS AND HOWMANY BEDS ARE AVAILABLE BYREGION ICU BED CAPACITY TOTALBEDS THAT SORT OF THING.I UNDERSTAND THERE’S A GREATINTEREST AND SO WE’LL TRY TO GETTHAT OUT TO EVERYONE VERY SOON.WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON OUR CASEINVESTIGATION TRYING TO IDENTIFYAS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE ANDGET THEM AN ISOLATION ORDERS ANDTHEN QUARANTINE ORDERS FOR THEIRCONTACTS.ACROSS THE COUNTRY THERE HASBEEN A DELAY IN TESTING WHICHUNDERMINES THIS EFFORT SOMEWHATBECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IF IT’S A 7 TO10-DAY LAG THE PERSON IS NOLONGER CONTAGIOUS BY THE TIMETHAT WE OFTEN TIMES FIND THATRESULT, BUT THAT SOMETHING WILLWORK AGGRESSIVELY ON THE STATEPUBLIC HEALTH LAB HAS NOT BEENAFFECTED BY THAT IS WE’VE NOTHAD THE SAME SORT OF INFLUX OFTESTING FROM HOTSPOT STATESLIKE, TEXAS AND FLORIDA THOSEHAVE OVERWHELMED THE COMMERCIALLABS AND WE’VE SUFFERED FOR THATAS YOU IMAGINE WE CONTINUE TOADD NURSES AND OTHER PUBLICHEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO OURCONTACT INVESTIGATION TEAMS ANDEXPE