A state health official told reporters Monday that Mississippi appears to be following a trend emerging in states across the nation: African Americans are disproportionately affected by the coronavirus.

"Early indications are, we're seeing similar (data) here in Mississippi that it is impacting the African American community at a little higher rate," said Jim Craig, senior deputy at the Mississippi Department of Health.

While somestates have been releasing demographic data related to coronavirus, the Mississippi Department of Health has not. The Clarion Ledger filed a public records request for this information last week.

Craig said he did not know why COVID-19 appears to be disproportionately affecting black Mississippians, but said other health officials might be able to shed light on the issue.

Mississippi joins a growing list of state that is seeing relatively high rates of African Americans infected with coronavirus, including Michigan, North Carolina and Illinois.

Mississippi preparing for the surge

Gov. Tate Reeves said his administration expects hospitals will be most strained with coronavirus patients on or about April 18.

That's based on data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Data, which Reeves stressed is fluid.

"Let me be clear. There is no perfect model," Reeves said, adding that the peak will likely hit sometime in the last two weeks of April. “...We are getting closer and closer to that moment, by the day.”

Reeves said state officials are planning for the worst-case scenario — and then some. A military facility called Camp Shelby near Hattiesburg will be temporarily converted to have 200 beds, he said, and a second 200-bed location in north Mississippi is being planned.

Craig called the facilities a "key part" in making sure Mississippi has adequate capacity to handle coronavirus patients.

"Camp Shelby can assist us in caring for patients that are recovering from COVID-19, especially those that are just not ready to return home or they may not have a home to return to," Craig said.

It's unclear what and where that second facility will be, but Reeves mentioned it could be college dorms or a hotel, though hopefully neither facility will have to be used.

Greg Michel, executive director of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, said the state continues to receive more personal protective gear and distribute that to hospitals and health care facilities of the front line of the pandemic. Michel said Mississippi is also receiving an unexpectedly large shipment from the federal government.

Reeves said the state government is also working with rural hospitals around the state to be ready to accept recovering and non-acute coronavirus patients to avoid overloading other hospitals, calling it "our first step-off point."

“We can do this. We can get through this – together. We will get through this and reopen our state and reopen our economy," Reeves said.

According to Reeves, Mississippians have largely been following his stay-at-home order, which went into effect Friday. When asked about churches holding services with more than 10 people, Reeves said that would be a violation of his order, but he also said the state government doesn't have the ability to shut down churches.

"Generations that came before us were asked to go to World Wars on our behalf," Reeves said. "We're simply asking you to stay home for the next two weeks. Please, Mississippians, be smart, be safe."

Contact Giacomo "Jack" Bologna at 601-961-7282 or gbologna@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @gbolognaCL.