Governor adds Warren County to COVID-19 hot spot list

Warren County is among the counties now under Gov. Tate Reeves extended mandates for COVID-19 hot spots through Jan. 15.

Reeves announced the addition of 17 counties to his list Tuesday on social media and with a press release.

“This morning, I signed an executive order extending our mask rules to all counties that qualify—which is now every county except four very small ones,” Reeves wrote on Facebook. “We all need to be extra aware. You know what to do! Protect yourself and your family. Stay safe, and Merry Christmas!”

Of Mississippi’s 82 counties, 78 are now under the governor’s extended mandates. Counties added Tuesday are Benton, George, Greene, Hancock, Humphreys, Jasper, Leake, Newton, Pike, Quitman, Smith, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Walthall, Warren, Wayne and Wilkinson.

Among the additional restrictions added by the executive order is a mask mandate. Residents in the affected counties must wear masks inside businesses, schools or other public indoor spaces when at least 6 feet of social distancing can’t be maintained. They also must keep groups to no more than 50 outdoors and no more than 10 indoors when social distancing isn’t possible.

Thank you Governor. https://t.co/nvlKTheBaV pic.twitter.com/TfGoWJhZLa

— thomas dobbs (@TCBPubHealth) December 22, 2020