Over a dozen deaths due to COVID-19 in Madison County

“One death is too many but 14 is certainly too many. And you know I get so tired of people saying the mortality rate is low. It may be low. But if you’re one of those 14 family members it’s not low to them", says director of the Jackson Madison County Regional Health Department.

The Jackson Madison County Regional Health Department is now reporting 14 deaths related to COVID-19 in Madison County.

Tedford says there needs to be something more done as cases continue to rise.

“You know, we don’t want to go backwards but you can’t just sit back and let these numbers continue to climb", she adds.

Tedford and Jackson city mayor Scott Conger say enforcing the mask mandate is difficult with lack of people.

But they are still pushing for a statewide mask mandate.

“I’m really hesitant to start talking about closing businesses and restrictions, I think that can have a far more detrimental affect on health and our economic health to just do that, but consistency on a mask mandate across the state, we could see some affects, some positive affects of that.", says Mayor Scott Conger.

There are 93 positive COVID-19 patients at the Jackson Madison County General Hospital, which is causing the hospital to open more units and delay elective procedures.

“So now that we have hit 93, in my mind when we hit a 100 we move to a whole different level of capacity management. Surge management, we are in our surge management now. To deal with these extra cases", says Chief Executive officer, James Ross.

Madison County is now at a total of 861 cases of COVID-19 with 196 of those cases being currently active.

Imani Williams, for 39 News, in Jackson.