Mississippi reports 1,212 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday with over 200 in South MS
The state reported 1,212 new cases on Saturday, the first time since last week that new cases hit the four-digit mark.
Of those cases, 224 were recorded in South Mississippi.
The state also reported 17 new deaths, including one in Harrison County.
That brings the total number of COVID-19 deaths in Harrison County up to 84. Jackson County has also seen 84 deaths since the pandemic began.
County snapshots released by the state on Oct. 17 show that Harrison and Jackson have test positivity rates of 12.4% and 14.8% respectively. According to the Mayo Clinic, the state rate is 13.4%.
Nationally, the overall percentage of positive tests for the week ending Oct. 17 was 6.3%, up from 5.6% the week before, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The World Health Organization recommends that areas with positivity rates over 5% increase testing and limit activity.
Here’s the data for each South Mississippi county:
George — 992 (13 new)
Hancock — 840 (24 new)
Harrison — 5,223 (94 new)
Jackson — 4,578 (75 new)
Pearl River — 1,136 (7 new)
Stone — 475 (11 new)
Friday, Oct. 23
The Mississippi State Department of Health reported 795 new cases and 7 deaths on Thursday.
In the six southern counties, 161 cases were reported with one new death in Hancock County.
The department also updated their school COVID-19 report for the week of Oct. 12-16 that shows 842 school reporting cases in 79 of Mississippi’s 82 counties.
George County has 92 students in quarantine from elementary to high school last week. George County High School has 37 students out. The Rebels’ football team went into quarantine earlier this week, forfeiting their next two games.
Six of the 24 high school football teams in South Mississippi have missed games this season due to a COVID-19 quarantine.
Hancock County has 48 students in quarantine with over half of those students in elementary school.
Harrison County, the largest county on the Coast, reported 685 students in quarantine last week. North Woolmarket Elementary and Middle (134), West Harrison High School (117) and Gulfport High School (95) were the three schools with the highest number of students quarantining.
Ocean Springs High School in Jackson County reported 271 students who were quarantined last week. Pascagoula High School reported 38 with 73 other students quarantined throughout the county.
Pearl River County (110) and Stone County (66) have also reported students quarantined last week. Stone County had three teachers quarantine while Perkinston Elementary had 42 students and Stone Middle School reported 20 students out from exposure.
Mississippi now has 113,876 total cases and 3,238 deaths since March 11.
Total cases in South Mississippi counties are:
George —979 (2 new)
Hancock — 816 (18 new)
Harrison — 5129 (79 new)
Jackson — 4503 (53 new)
Pearl River — 1,129 (7 new)
Stone — 464 (2 new)
Free testing on MS Coast
Free COVID-19 masks with a built-in face shield are available at health department testing sites, as supplies last, for voters who are 65 or older or have chronic illnesses.
Testing sites are:
Wednesday, Oct. 21
- Hancock County — 856 U.S. 90, Bay St. Louis
- Pearl River County — 7547 U.S. 11, North Carriere
Friday, Oct. 23
- Harrison County — 1102 45th Ave., Gulfport, south of Memorial Hospital
- Jackson County — 4600 1st Lt. Eugene Majure Drive, Pascagoula, west of Lowe’s Home Improvement
- Stone County — 1510 W. Central Ave., Wiggins
Thursday, Oct. 22
The Mississippi State Health Department reported 958 new cases and 8 deaths on Thursday.
Of those cases, 260 came from South Mississippi, the second-most cases reported in a single day since the pandemic began. Only July 29 was higher with 349 cases.
Harrison County reported its highest single-day case increase ever with 148 cases. The second-highest day was less than a week ago on Oct. 16 with 113 new cases.
Coronavirus cases in Harrison have now increased much faster than last week, with 239 cases since Monday compared to 180 the previous week.
One new death was reported in South Mississippi, in Jackson County.
The department reported that 100 less patients in the ICU across the state, dropping from 161 to 151. Of those in the ICU, 73 remain on ventilators.
Mississippi now has 113,081 total cases and 3,231 deaths since March 11.
Total cases in South Mississippi counties are:
George —977 (20 new)
Hancock — 798 (11 new)
Harrison — 5050 (148 new)
Jackson — 4450 (43 new)
Pearl River — 1, 122 (17 new)
Stone — 462 (7 new)
Wednesday, Oct. 21
The Mississippi State Department of Health reported 801 new coronavirus cases and 21 deaths on Wednesday.
South Mississippi has 146 newly reported cases with Harrison County (58), Jackson County (43) and George County (18) showing the highest number of new cases.
Four deaths also were reported in South Mississippi with two in Jackson County, one in Pearl River and one in George County. The George County death was identified from death certificate reports between Aug. 19 and Oct. 14, according to the state department.
On Monday, Gov. Tate Reeves issued restrictions and a mask mandate for nine counties, including Jackson County. He said that Harrison County could possibly see a mask mandate as well.
Harrison County has reported fewer cases this week than last week, with 118 since Monday compared to 125 last week.
Mississippi now has 112,123 total cases and 3,223 deaths since March 11.
Total cases in South Mississippi counties are:
George —957 (18 new)
Hancock — 787 (6 new)
Harrison — 4902 (58 new)
Jackson — 4393 (43 new)
Pearl River — 1,105 (16 new)
Stone — 455 (5 new)
Tuesday, Oct. 20
The state health department reported 730 new coronavirus cases and 31 deaths on Tuesday.
Seven of those deaths were in South Mississippi: 3 in Jackson County, 2 in Harrison County and 2 in Pearl River County.
That’s the most South Mississippi deaths reported in a single day since Sept. 9. There have been only nine other days when more than 5 deaths were reported on the area since March.
Gov. Tate Reeves yesterday issued new restrictions and a mask mandate for 9 counties, including Jackson County, and he mentioned Harrison County is on the cusp of being added to the restrictions.
There are also 87 new cases in the lower six counties.
Mississippi now has 111,322 total cases and 3,202 deaths since March 11.
Total cases in South Mississippi counties are:
George — 939 (4 new)
Hancock — 781 (12 new)
Harrison — 4844 (33 new)
Jackson — 4350 (31 new)
Pearl River — 1,089 (7 new)
Stone — 450 (0 new)
Sunday and Monday, Oct. 18-19
The Mississippi health department reported combined numbers for Sunday and Monday, adding 586 new cases and 0 deaths to the state’s totals.
In South Mississippi, 83 new cases were added over the two days.
The number of new cases reported typically is lower on the weekend and Mondays.
Mississippi now has 110,592 total cases and 3,171 deaths since March 11.
The totals in South Mississippi are 12,366 cases, or 11% of the total in the state. The 273 deaths in South Mississippi are 8.6% of the state’s total.
Over the past week, the seven-day average for South Mississippi stands at 131 compared to an average of 113 cases a week ago. Harrison County added 340 cases and 1 death in the last week, and Jackson County had 236 cases and 4 deaths.
Total new cases across South Mississippi in the last week is 768, with 8 more deaths.
While the state has seen an increase in hospitalizations this month. Between Oct. 1-16, the number of people hospitalized with confirmed cases of coronavirus in Mississippi rose from 419 to 501, and the number of people in ICU rose from 124 to 140. The number of ventilators decreased from 70 on Oct. 1 to 69 on Oct 16.
Total cases in South Mississippi counties are:
George — 935 (12 new)
Hancock — 769 (4 new)
Harrison — 4,811 (27 new)
Jackson — 4,319 (28 new)
Pearl River — 1,082 (8 new)
Stone — 450 (4 new)
This story was originally published October 19, 2020 at 11:16 AM.