The mayor of a South Mississippi city has died after being hospitalized due to double pneumonia just weeks after being diagnosed with COVID-19.

Wiggins Mayor Joel Miles died Sunday at Memorial Hospital in Gulfport after developing complications from the virus.

The city posted Sunday night on Facebook announcing Miles’ death.

Miles, who was elected as mayor of Wiggins in 2013, had been hospitalized at George Regional Hospital in Lucedale but was transferred to Memorial Hospital on Friday for more specialized care.

On Saturday  Miles and his wife Mary posted on Facebook imploring people to take the virus seriously, saying it’s an illness that should not be taken lightly.