Mississippi ‘setting new records every day’ for COVID-19 with new high of 2,480 cases
Mississippi has twice in one week broken its record for number of new daily coronavirus cases reported to the state — far eclipsing the summer peak of the pandemic.
On Friday, the State Department of Health reported 2,480 new cases, breaking Wednesday’s record of 2,457. The previous records were below 2,000.
That brings the seven-day average to a new record of 1,875 — so the state is now averaging nearly 1,900 cases per week.
“Mississippi’s hospitals are overloaded,” State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs tweeted Thursday night. For example, the state’s biggest hospital in Jackson is reporting a negative number of available intensive care unit beds.
Cases and hospitalizations are skyrocketing upward across the state and country, so that the curve resembles more of a straight straight line upward.
“The only thing more worrisome than the number is the trajectory,” Dobbs said. “Setting new records everyday.” By trajectory, he means if the rate of increases continue, there won’t be enough resources to treat new patients, with or without coronavirus.
On Dec. 2, MSDH reported 11 ICU beds available on the Coast, with 30 adults hospitalized in ICU with confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Statewide, 94 ICU beds were available, although space varied. In Jackson, the University of Mississippi Medical Center reported it had dipped into the negative by 5 for number of ICU beds, while two other major hospitals in Jackson had no beds available.
On Friday, MSDH also reported 37 new deaths, 14 of which are from a review of death certificates between Nov. 10-29.
South Mississippi totals
In the six counties of South Mississippi, there are 283 new cases and 5 new deaths. George County saw a big jump with 66 new cases.
The new deaths include three in Jackson County and one in Harrison County, and one in George County from review of death certificates.
George County - 1,383 (66 new)
Hancock County - 1,328 (19 new)
Harrison County - 7,624 (69 new)
Jackson County - 6,774 (66 new)
Pearl River County - 1,681 (43 new)
Stone County - 851 (20 new)
This story was originally published December 4, 2020 at 11:45 AM.
