Delta variant to blame for biggest increase in COVID-19 admissions in more than a month

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JACKSON, Mississippi (WLBT) – As COVID-19 vaccinations slow, cases of the highly contagious Delta variant of the virus continue to rise in Mississippi, leading to the largest increase in hospital admissions in addition to ‘a month, according to State Health Officer Dr Thomas Dobbs.

State Department of Health data shows cases in the Delta are up 75% from last week: 137 cases have been confirmed in the state, 90% of which are in Hinds, Madison counties and Rankin.

At St. Dominics Hospital in Jackson, they are also seeing this increase in patients and team members with the virus.

Trying to stay in a state of readiness. We keep our units that are clustered for COVID patients ready with our negative pressure rooms and those things we’ve never removed, said Tandra Marburgh, senior director of quality at the hospital.

Marburgh said they are also keeping their visiting hours limited, too, to protect patients and staff.

They have learned a lot from the latest wave of COVID-19 cases that ended in February, she said, and they hope that will be enough.

I often say that well build an airplane by flying on it. So we still need to make sure we’ve looked at all the potential possibilities and how to handle those particular elements, said Marburgh.

A key element that works in their favor: vaccinations.

Although Mississippi lags the country with just 31 percent of residents fully immunized, the percentage is much higher among those 65 and older.

It really changes everything, you know, the majority, the vast majority of our seniors have been vaccinated. And that’s the real blessing in it all, Dobbs said.

At the same time, he’s also urging more to get the vaccine, despite reports that a handful of Mississippi doctors are advising their patients not to get the shot.

I know two doctors who make a lot of noise. But I know thousands of doctors who are strong advocates of science, thousands of physicians who are strong advocates of immunization, you know, Dobbs said. Pay attention to the science, you know, don’t listen to crazy jobs.

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