MS reports 874 new coronavirus cases. Coast’s weekly average is back above 100.
Mississippi’s state health department reported 874 new cases of COVID-19 and 24 deaths on Friday as numbers continued to show a slight increase over the previous week.
While cases have crept up this week, hospitalization figures have continued to decrease over the last week. As of Aug. 19, there were 852 people hospitalized with confirmed cases of the coronavirus. Another 173 were in the hospital with suspected cases.
Patients in intensive care stood at 276 on Wednesday with 176 on ventilators.
There were 147 new cases reported in the state’s southernmost six counties as the seven-day average for the area moved back over 100 at 104.00 for the first time in a week.
There were also five deaths reported in the region.
Harrison County had a pair of newly reported deaths with Hancock, Jackson and Pearl River each reporting a single death.
There have been 24 deaths reported in South Mississippi since Monday, making this one of the costlier weeks of the year in terms of fatalities for the area.
Friday’s numbers marked the fifth consecutive day of at least four deaths in South Mississippi. There had not been more than two consecutive days of four or more deaths prior to this week.
There have been 76,323 cases of the coronavirus and 2,214 deaths in the state this year.
As of Aug. 16, there were 56,577 people who have presumed to have recovered from COVID-19.
Total cases by South Mississippi county
George — 666 (12 new)
Hancock — 448 (6 new)
Harrison — 2,984 (57 new)
Jackson — 2,696 (46 new)
Pearl River — 660 (17 new)
Stone — 278 (9 new)
This story was originally published August 21, 2020 at 1:01 PM.
