SERVING THOSE WHO SERVE US ALL

The Mississippi Hospital Association is the statewide trade organization dedicated to effectively serving the health care needs of Mississippi through serving those who serve us all - our state's hospitals and their employees.

Advocacy. Education. Information. Service. Since 1931.



Updates and Resources on Novel Coronavirus (2019-CoV)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization continue to monitor a coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, China, and resulted in growing numbers of cases and deaths. The virus originated from an animal reservoir but is now known to be transmissible from human to human.There have been 110 individuals across 26 states under investigation for coronavirus in the United States with five confirmed cases in Washington, Chicago, Arizona, and southern California, which has two cases. All five cases had recently traveled to Wuhan. There have been no transmission events within the U.S. It is likely there will be more cases reported in the coming days and weeks.

The Mississippi State Department of Health is monitoring the outbreak and encourages all Mississippi health care providers to identify suspected cases, place suspected cases in appropriate isolation. Providers are asked to consider 2019-nCoV infection in persons with fever and/or symptoms of lower respiratory illness within 2 weeks of travel to Hubei Provence in China (including the city of Wuhan) or within 2 weeks of contact with a confirmed or suspected case.

If you have a suspected case, it is anticipated that the best location of treatment is your hospital assuming you have the appropriate isolation capabilities and treatments. MSDH will assist with testing for coronavirus. Results should be available within 48 hours based on current volumes. Providers are asked to report suspected cases to the MSDH Office of Epidemiology at 601-576-7725 (601-576-7400 after hours). Read the Mississippi Health Alert Network Advisory here. 

The World Health Organization said it will not a declare a public health emergency of international concern at this time.

Resources:
- AHA Quality Advisory
- CDC Interim Guidance
- CDC Situation Summary
- Three U.S. airports screening for coronavirus

Questions? Contact Joyce Pearson, director of MHA's Office of Healthcare Emergency Preparedness, at (601) 368-3228 or jpearson@mhanet.org.