COVID-19 deaths reach new high in MS as ‘Thanksgiving surge’ hits state
Over 4,000 Mississippians have now died after testing positive for the coronavirus, and Tuesday the state reported the third-highest single-day increase in deaths with 56.
COVID-19 cases in South Mississippi also hit a record high Tuesday with a seven-day average of 246.71 daily cases, topping the previous high of 184.43 on July 30.
A total of 1,732 new cases of COVID-19 are being reported statewide. The state has had a total of 167,926 cases and 4,017 deaths.
Fifty six new deaths is the highest daily number since the summer spike at the end of August.
MSDH said 14 of the deaths reported Tuesday were investigated from an earlier time period and determined to be from COVID-19.
Jackson County topped South Mississippi locations with the highest number of new deaths at 6, while George, Harrison and Pearl River reported one new death each. One death was reported from an earlier period for Hancock County.
A total of 413 people in South Mississippi have now died of COVID-19.
Hospitalizations also are continuing to climb.
A mask mandate is now in force in 54 Mississippi counties, but Gov. Tate Reeves has resisted calls from the state’s medical establishment to re-institute a statewide mandate for all 82 counties. A statewide mask mandate Reeves ordered in early August lowered case numbers, but it expired at the end of September.
South Mississippi now has a total of 20,491 cases. Total cases by county are:
George: 1,421 (19 new)
Hancock: 1,388 (23 new)
Harrison: 8,039 (154 new)
Jackson: 6,976 (78 new)
Pearl River: 1,772 (26 new)
Stone: 895 (9 new)
Monday, Dec. 7
That “Thanksgiving surge” in new coronavirus cases that State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs warned Mississippi about is here, he said in a social media post.
COVID-19 cases continue a steady climb, with 1,473 more cases and 12 deaths added statewide Sunday and another 1,263 cases Monday with 0 deaths. That brings the toll since March to 166,194 cases and 3,961 deaths across Mississippi.
South Mississippi had 569 new cases over the two days — sending total cases to 20,182 with 402 deaths.
One additional death was reported in Harrison County on Sunday.
Deaths in South Mississippi are: 131 in Jackson County, 116 in Harrison, 71 in Pearl River, 43 in Hancock, 26 in George and 15 in Stone.
Dobbs also said in a tweet Monday that the MSHD hopes to have 25,000 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine by next week.
The Food and Drug Administration meets Thursday to review the Pfizer vaccine. Plans are to administer the vaccine first to front-line healthcare workers.
Dobbs reported last month that Mississippi has seen 25% more deaths in 2020 than in a normal year. He said the state could see an additional 1,000 deaths still in December.
Total cases in South Mississippi are:
George — 1,402 (6 new)
Hancock — 1,365 (18 new)
Harrison — 7,885 (119 new)
Jackson — 6,898 (53 new)
Pearl River — 1,746 (14 new)
Stone — 886 (19 new)
Sunday, Dec. 6
Total cases reported for South Mississippi are:
George — 1,396 (3 new)
Hancock — 1,347 (6 new)
Harrison — 7,766 (34 new)
Jackson — 6,845 (37 new)
Pearl River — 1,732 (23 new)
Stone — 867 (8 new)
111 total cases, 1 new death Sunday
The Pascagoula Fire Department will be distributing cotton face masks to the public on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at the Pascagoula Senior Center, 1912 Live Oak Ave. The drive-thru event starts at 8 a.m. and continues until noon, or until supplies run out. The masks come in a pack of 5, with a limit of one package to each vehicle.
This story was originally published December 7, 2020 at 11:50 AM.
