Oxford mayor requests clinics provide number of positive cases in temporary residents

Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill said this number would be much higher if health officials counted temporary residents, such as students.

A spike in local coronavirus cases in the past couple of days.

Wtva's chelsea brown is live in oxford to tell us what the mayor says is behind the sudden surge in cases.

The mississippi state department of health reported 209 coronavirus total cases for lafayette county.

Oxford mayor robyn tannehill says this number would be much higher if health officials counted temporary residents who returned for school.

Since june 1st, four medical clinics reported 162 positive coronavirus cases to the mayor.

She says all of those were ole miss students who were tested outside the county.

Everyone of us."

"do not reflect those positive cases of people that are temporary residents of oxford and lafayette county, primarily students."

When the state department of health reported these student coronavirus cases, it counted these cases in the students' home county.

"we have expressed this concern at a state level but have not received a solution."

A nurse practitioner approached the mayor at a local clinic about the spike in student cases.

Tannehill then reached out to 3 other clinics asking for positive case numbers in students.

Those 4 clinics reported 162 positive cases in ole miss students since june 1st.

Mayor tannehill is asking for the clinic to continue to report student cases to her.

"we know this is asking a lot of these clinics, we know that another level of reporting with the they are doing for the msdh daily is difficult."

Mayor tannehill is asking everyone in oxford and lafayette county to continue to flatten the curve by wearing masks and social distance.

"these measure only are effective if they are implemented, our success depends on the efforts of everyone of us."

City leaders are still requiring people to wear masks while in businesses in oxford.

The masks requirement extends through june 29th.

Live in oxford, chelsea brown, wtva 9 news a steady