Mississippi's hospital system could fail in the next 2 weeks if the COVID-19 surge there doesn't slow down, doctor warns

• Mississippi's hospital system may fail in the coming days due to the COVID-19 surge there, a local doctor warned.
• "Within the next five to seven to 10 days, I think we're going to see failure of the hospital system in Mississippi," Dr. Alan Jones said.
• Mississippi recorded its biggest single-day total of new COVID-19 cases, data posted Thursday shows.

Mississippi's hospital system may be pushed to the point of "failure" in the coming days if the COVID-19 surge there does not slow down, a state doctor and hospital administrator warned.

"If we continue that trajectory, within the next five to seven to 10 days, I think we're going to see failure of the hospital system in Mississippi," Alan Jones, associate vice chancellor for clinical affairs at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, said Wednesday, according to the Associated Press.

Jones added, "Hospitals are full from Memphis to Gulfport, Natchez to Meridian."

Meanwhile, the Magnolia State recorded its biggest single-day total of new COVID-19 cases, according to new data posted Thursday.

The state Health Department reported 4,412 new coronavirus cases and 20 new deaths as of Thursday - a 26% jump from the 3,488 cases it recorded on Tuesday.

Despite the COVID-19 surge, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said in a tweet Thursday, "There will be no lockdowns and there will be no statewide mandates."

Reeves made the comments as he announced that he was extending Mississippi's state of emergency for 30 more days.

"This extension will ease the process of marshalling additional resources for our response ... allow our system of care to continue to transfer patients to hospitals where treatment is available, ensure expanded access to telemedicine, and will keep options open for use of the great men and women of the MS National Guard," the Republican governor tweeted.

Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the state has seen a total of 376,124 COVID-19 cases and 7,730 virus-related deaths.