Mississippi has entered this summer’s West Nile virus (WNV) season with three human cases across the state since July.
West Nile virus is transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito, and usually causes only mild symptoms. In some cases, though, it can cause flu-like symptoms resulting in weakness or fatigue that can last for weeks or months. In a few cases – especially for those who are older or in poor health – infection can cause serious illness, long-lasting neurological damage, or death.
Staying Protected
Avoid areas where mosquitoes are prevalent. These include damp, shaded areas outdoors, high grass or bushes, and areas with standing water. Mosquitoes are usually most active in the early morning and evenings.
Wear clothing that covers the arms and legs. This is one of the simplest ways to prevent mosquito bites, especially in areas where mosquitoes are highly active.
Apply a mosquito repellent with an EPA-registered ingredient whenever you may be exposed to mosquitoes. Many formulations of repellent are available, with a wide range of effectiveness. Choose one that’s suitable for the degree of mosquito exposure you expect.
Make sure that window screens in your home are in good repair.
Empty outdoor containers where rainwater can accumulate, including small containers such as flowerpot saucers and yard debris. Mosquitoes can breed in as little as a teaspoon of water.
If there are areas in your yard or near your house where standing water collects, fill them in or otherwise keep them as dry as possible to prevent mosquito breeding.
More about West Nile virus and staying protected »
Choosing an effective mosquito repellent »
Health Briefs
Plant-Based Diet to Help Prevent Diabetes
Smart eating and being active daily are proven methods for reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes, a major chronic disease in Mississippi. A new survey of research by the Harvard School of Public Health finds that a plant-based diet is a great way to get started on diabetes prevention. Evaluating the results of past studies on more than 300,000 adults revealed that simply adopting a diet that emphasized vegetables, whole grains and legumes (beans) lowered the risk of developing diabetes by 23 percent. That’s good news if you have pre-diabetes, too, since adding lower-sugar food choices to a plant-based diet can often effectively control pre-diabetes.
Explore on HealthyMS.com: Type 2 Diabetes Prevention
Mediterranean Diet and Gestational Diabetes
Pregnant women have good news from a new British study. Women who ate a Mediterranean-style diet had a 35 percent lower risk for developing diabetes in pregnancy, and gained almost three pounds less extra weight while they were expecting. Diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) can lead to problems with weight, delivery and health for a pregnant women’s child. A Mediterranean-style diet is centered around vegetables, fruits and whole grains, and adds nuts, olive oil and fish while reducing red meat and dairy.
Explore on HealthyMS.com: Having a Healthy Pregnancy
Related: Healthy eating every day
More…
Staying Heart-Healthy Means 16 More Years of Life
Regulatory Report
Food Facility Inspections
“C” inspection scores for the past seven days
Mississippi food facilities are graded A, B or C, reflecting whether critical violations were found during inspections and how quickly they were corrected. The facilities below received a grade of C for a critical violation not corrected at the time of inspection, or a critical violation repeated from a previous inspection.
Understanding food facility inspection grades »
Dragon Concourse
579 Goodman Rd, Southaven
Stateline Market
8960 Airways Blvd, Southaven
Paul’s Grocery
111 Hayden St, Belzoni
Hampton Inn
1815 Hwy 82 West, Greenwood
Knight’s Drive-In
1203 Victory Temple Dr, Amory
Hickory Pit
1491 Canton Mart, Jackson
Circle K No. 2723750
3326 Clay St, Vicksburg
Dairy Queen
1003 Brookway Blvd, Brookhaven
New Panda Palace Buffet
3920 Promenade Pkwy, D’Iberville
Schaffer’s Grocery
7180 Lakeshore Rd, Bay St. Louis
Boil-Water Notices
Precautions and alerts recently listed by MSDH
Romola Water Association
Claiborne County (Precautionary)
City of Mound Bayou
Bolivar County (Precautionary)
Child Care Facility Violations
Significant violations recently reported from Mississippi child care facility inspections
The Mississippi State Department of Health conducts regular inspections of licensed child care facilities to ensure compliance with state regulations.
Listed below are violations found during recent inspections that resulted in a monetary penalty for the facility. These violations have the potential to endanger children in these facilities, and include failure to maintain the minimum staff to child ratio, leaving children unattended, failure to conduct a background check, and lack of CPR/first aid training.
Mother Goose Learning Center 1, Cleveland 6/17/2019
Failure to maintain minimum staff to child ratio
Explorers, Inc., Pearl 6/5/2019
Children left unattended
Boys and Girls Club-Walker Unit Day Care, Jackson 7/9/2019
Failure to maintain minimum staff to child ratio
Kingdom Vision International Church, Columbus 7/9/2019
Children left unattended
Bright Start Learning Academy, Tunica 7/9/2019
Failure to maintain minimum staff to child ratio
Lack of recent CPR/First aid certification
Liberty Preschool Academy, Wiggins 6/3/2019
Children left unattended
Kinderlearn, Biloxi 6/26/2019
Failure to maintain minimum staff to child ratio
WBF Rainbow Learning Center, Jackson 7/3/2019
Failure to maintain minimum staff to child ratio
A Fresh Start and Time to Learn Center, Pearl 6/26/2019
Failure to maintain minimum staff to child ratio
Failure to conduct staff background check
Perkins Lil Treasures, Starkville 5/30/2019
Online database of child care facilities: Find general information, inspection records and penalties for any registered child care facility with our online database.
For a detailed report on any facility, please make a request in writing using our public records request process. Find out more »
Reportable Disease Statistics
Mississippi’s reportable disease statistics provide monthly figures and yearly totals of selected diseases of public health interest reported to MSDH by hospitals and other health care providers. Current and past months’ statistics, with details by public health district, can be viewed online.
Latest reportable disease statistics »
Disease and health statistics online »
Mississippi vital statistics online »
More health statistics sources »
Health Notes
Smoking and the Risk of Birth Defects
When mothers-to-be smoke during pregnancy, they increase the chance that their baby will be born with one or more birth defects, especially cleft palate or cleft lip. Quitting smoking as soon as you can — before pregnancy, if possible — is the best way to protect your child. Tobacco use by others matters, too. Secondhand smoke can be a health risk to a developing child as well as to children of all ages.
What We Do: Health Facilities Licensure
A sample of services and programs from the Mississippi State Department of Health
Hospitals, nursing homes and other facilities responsible for the care of Mississippians need to meet the highest standards to ensure the quality of their services. Our Health Facilities Licensure and Certification division regulates all licensed hospitals in the state to make sure they provide a safe and healthy environment for their patients, and that they operate according to standards of professional care. Regulation isn’t restricted to just hospitals. This division also oversees the operation of adult foster care homes, birthing centers, home health agencies, hospices, nursing homes, personal care homes and assisted living facilities, psychiatric hospitals and other institutions that care for the residents of the state.