Residents, law enforcment grow concerned as COVID-19 numbers grow in Monroe County

MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The latest numbers from the Mississippi State Department of Health show Monroe County with 99 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 11 deaths.

With the statewide shelter in place order and other mandates limiting the size of public gatherings, enforcement falls on police or sheriff departments.

Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook said his deputies are doing the best they can to keep the public safe and also dealing with new issues because of the coronavirus.

“Traffic went down for a week or two at the beginning, but [its] been pretty much normal here for the last two to three weeks,” said Sheriff Crook.

The sheriff is concerned about the high number of cases in Monroe County. That concern runs throughout the community.

Shelly Bowen owns ‘The Blue Owl’; a gift and home decor store in downtown Aberdeen.

She also lives in Monroe County and said the higher than expected COVID-19 cases are troubling.

“Everyone I know is trying to stay at home and not get out as much and do what we are supposed to be doing, but I know there are some that are, you know, aren’t taking it as seriously as others maybe,” Bowen said.

The sheriff recently took to Facebook, encouraging people to follow CDC guidelines and he also asked the public to let his office know if someone with the coronavirus was not practicing self-quarantine.

Still, there is limited information for his deputies.

“When we do get a call about somebody supposedly infected with the virus that’s out in the public, because we just don’t have access to that information so really we are going on their word and hope they are honest with us. If they do, of course, we would offer to escort them back to their home, wherever they are supposed to be quarantined and if they fail to comply with that; it would be failing to comply with a lawful order and we would bring them here and house them,” Sheriff Crook said.

The sheriff is hopeful that even after the shelter in place order is lifted, folks in Monroe County will be vigilant, cautious and use common sense.

The sheriff has not had to arrest anyone with COVID- 19 for refusing to self isolate.