Officials with the Warren County Emergency Management Agency and officials at KPC Promise Hospital in Vicksburg confirmed Friday afternoon that a patient at the hospital had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

The patient is not a resident of Warren County. Officials with the Mississippi State Department of Health confirmed Friday evening the patient is a resident of Rankin County.

“Warren County has a confirmed case of COVID-19, this was confirmed to be at Promise Hospital, we are now waiting for the Mississippi Department of Health to announce this because it is in the best interest of our community to know,” the Warren County Emergency Management staff said. “We do not have all of the specifics but we will share any more information we receive as it becomes available.”

The individual was a patient at Promise Hospital in Vicksburg when he was reportedly tested for the COVID-19 virus. That test has now been confirmed to be positive. The name and any information regarding the patient was not made available.

In a statement to hospital personnel and shared by the Warren County Emergency Management Agency, Kiley Cedotal, Chief Executive Officer of KPC Promise Hospital, further confirmed the positive test result.

Promise Hospital is located within the Merit Health River Region facility on U.S. 61 North.

“One of the early steps we took as a facility was to cease virtually all hospital visitations in an effort to prevent potential community-based transmissions,” Cedotal said in the release. “In addition, we have implemented aggressive pre-screening measures for anyone who enters the facility, including staff, patients, vendors and law enforcement personnel.

“As it relates to this particular patient, all CDC guidelines have been followed throughout diagnosis and treatment, and potentially exposed staff have been asked to self-quarantine with pay.”

Jeff Corless, a spokesperson for KPC Promise, said the patient has been at the facility for about two months. He also confirmed the patient did not exhibit any symptoms at the time the patient arrived.

“He was administered the test after the patient exhibited symptoms,” Corless said, adding that hospital officials notified all appropriate state personnel when the positive test was confirmed.

As for the interaction between the patient, hospital personnel and others, before he exhibited symptoms, Corless said “the patient would have had the appropriate interaction resulting in the care necessary to be provided.”

The test was performed Tuesday. The results of that test were returned Thursday.

Corless confirmed the individual was still a patient at the hospital and the facility is “fully equipped to care for a patient with COVID-19.”