MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Southaven Mayor Darren Musslewhite is taking to social media this weekend to defend Northern Mississippi.
Mayor Musslewhite is not happy after Governor Tate Reeves mentioned Desoto County has more Covid-19 cases than another other county in the state. He said in the Facebook post, he means no disrespect to Governor Reeves or Mississippi Department of Health Director, Dr. Thomas Dobbs, but their statements about Desoto County are simply not correct. He pointed out that Desoto is the most densely populated parts of the state.
In his Facebook post, titled "Setting the record straight for Desoto County" Musslewhite said:
"Governor Reeves analogy and statements suggesting Desoto County has an excessive positive case increase compared to other Mississippi heavily-populated counties are simply not correct," he said. "Viruses do not recognize city, county or state boundaries. Considering Desoto County's adjacency to Shelby County, TN we are by far the most heavily and densely populated county in Mississippi totaling 1,121,000 (184,000 for Desoto County). That's more than double the population of the Jackson-area counties quoted by our Governor."
Mayor Musslewhite went on to say that another excluded key fact is that many of the positive cases do not live in Desoto County, but just tested here due to the close proximity.
The mayor of Southaven says the county's hospital capacities are not challenged at this time. He closes his post by saying, "Be smart, be safe, but leave your house if you want and live your life!"