Dobbs: Latest COVID-19 surge in Mississippi 'Didn't have to happen this way'

Sarah Haselhorst
Mississippi Clarion Ledger

More now than ever, Mississippi health officials are urging residents to get vaccinated as the COVID-19 delta variant rapidly spreads throughout the state in what they're calling the worst wave yet.

"Delta is deadly," State Health Officer Thomas Dobbs said during a Thursday press conference. "It's gonna cause a lot of tragedy. Let me be clear, it didn't have to happen this way."

On Thursday, the Mississippi State Department of Health reported over 3,000 cases in a 24-hour period, a number unseen since January highs. The delta variant is different, Dobbs said, noting the variant's contagiousness.

The delta variant spread 50% faster than the alpha, which was 50% more contagious than the original strain of SARS-CoV-2, according to Yale Medicine.

State health officials say Mississippi is averaging 2,000 new COVID-19 cases a day. The state's hospitals, bursting at the seams due to surging coronavirus cases and a lack of health care workers, is averaging 144 coronavirus-related hospitalizations each day. 

Dobbs said the state had a collective total of 1,147 COVID-positive patients in Mississippi hospitals Thursday. Nearly 300 of those patients are in intensive care units, with 150 on ventilators. Of the four children hospitalized in the state with coronavirus infections, two are on ventilators.

Adding to Mississippi's already-beleaguered health care systems is the hemorrhaging of the state's health care workers. Dobbs has estimated the state's lost 2,000 nurses in the past seven months.

"Today is the 516th day of this pandemic response," said Jim Craig, Mississippi State Department of Health senior deputy. "We have a lot of health care heroes who have been on the job a long time. But we continue to see some staff shortages."

There are more beds, Craig said, but the staffing is not there.

"I think it's really important to realize that we're asking a lot of our health care structure and workforce," Dobbs said, adding that many health care workers haven't had a break in nearly two years.

That break may not be coming any time soon if low vaccination rates persist in the state.

To mitigate the rapid spread of the delta variant, Dobbs said about one million more Mississippians would need to be immune. As of Thursday, the state's fully vaccinated rate is 33%, lagging behind the nation at 50%. Of the new infections ballooning in Mississippi, 97% are unvaccinated, according to health department data.

"We have this engine of COVID transmission and the fuel is unvaccinated folks," Dobbs said. "And that engine is revving in red line. So there is going to be some collateral damage."

As cases rise, vaccination rates have tripled from recent weeks. Craig reiterated there is no lack of availability for free vaccination or testing in Mississippi.

It's particularly important now that those eligible get the shot before colleges and universities return, health officials said. The Mississippi State Department of Health released new COVID-19 guidance late Wednesday for colleges and universities, including universal mask-wearing in indoor spaces, encouraging vaccination, adhering to social distancing, and quarantine and contact tracing protocol.

“You can’t fill a classroom with nonimmune kids without a mask on with the most contagious coronavirus you’ve ever seen circulating and expect for it not to spread,” Dobbs said.

State Epidemiologist Paul Byers said as students return to schools, COVID-19 outbreaks will be inevitable if universal masking and vaccination are not in play. While the state health department has posted guidance, it's up to Gov. Tate Reeves to decide whether he will mandate masks in the state.

Reeves has been firm in his stance: He has no intention of mask mandates.

“We’re not seeing that there’s a lot of motivation for statewide mandates,” Dobbs said. "A lot of this is depending upon local leaders to make the right decisions. We know what helps and doesn’t help.”

Have a health story? Or a health-related tip? Send it along to shaselhorst@gannett.com, on Twitter at @HaselhorstSarah or call 601-331-9307.