Nine long-term care facilities in South Mississippi identified as having COVID-19 cases

JACKSON, Miss. (WLOX) - Nine long-term care facilities in South Mississippi reported COVID-19 cases with one nursing home in Pearl River County reporting nine resident deaths.

The names of the LTC facilities were released Wednesday evening by Mississippi State Department of Health following a court ruling in Hinds County.

All of the counties in South Mississippi had an active outbreak status within at least one of their facilities, except George County.

Picayune Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center saw the most resident cases with 46 cases identified, nine resident deaths, and nine employee cases. Singing River Health and Rehabilitation Center in Jackson County saw the second-highest COVID-19 cases in residents, reporting 38 cases and two resident deaths.

Facility name	County	Facility Type	Outbreak Status	Employee Cases	Resident Cases	Resident Deaths
Dunbar Village Courtyard	Hancock	Nursing Home	Active	1	2	0
The Pillars of Biloxi	Harrison	Nursing Home	Active	0	1	0
Boyington Health and Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center	Harrison	Nursing Home	Active	2	0	0
Singing River Health & Rehabilitation Center	Jackson	Nursing Home	Active	15	38	2
Sunplex Subacute Center	Jackson	Nursing Home	Active	1	0	0
Pearl River County Nursing Home	Pearl River	Nursing Home	Active	4	0	0
Picayune Rehabilitation And Healthcare Center	Pearl River	Nursing Home	Active	9	46	9
Azalea Gardens	Stone	Nursing Home	2	0	0	0
Stone County Nursing and Rehabilitation Center	Stone	Nursing Home	Active	1	0	0

To date, a total of 1,993 patients diagnosed with the virus are currently in long-term care facilities throughout the state. In all, 406 people diagnosed while in long-term care facilities have died.

As of June 2, South Mississippi has 97 cases of coronavirus in LTC facilities in the six coastal counties; 21 residents in those facilities have died.

The highest number of cases in South Mississippi LTC facilities are in Pearl River County, which has seen 46 cases and 11 deaths, and in Jackson County, which has reported 40 cases and 5 deaths.

[TABLE: An in-depth look at the number of cases in long-term care facilities]

The names of the facilities where outbreaks have been reported has previously been withheld, citing patient privacy.

While the names of the specific facilities were released, the names of individual patients will still not be public, nor will how many cases each facility has reported.

MSDH made public the names of the facilities and the county they are located in. That information will continue to be updated daily on the MDHS website.

MSDH says: “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 Hinds County Chancery Court ruling said the names of facilities with outbreaks of COVID-19 should be disclosed out of public interest, and the court agreed. A further recommendation from the state attorney general backed up the decision.