5 more COVID deaths in South MS makes December the 2nd deadliest month this year
Mississippi’s state health department reported five new COVID-19 deaths in the state’s southernmost six counties on Saturday to push the total of December deaths to 76 — already the second most in a single month for the region this year.
The deadliest month for the coronavirus in South Mississippi was August, which had 85 deaths after a spike in new cases that followed the July 4 holiday.
Statewide, the rate of new cases following Thanksgiving has surpassed that from July. The high point for the seven-day average daily increase in July was 1,380.86 on July 26.
With 1,700 new cases and 36 deaths reported in the state on Saturday, the seven-day average for new cases now stands at 2,023.43 — the eighth consecutive day that the number has cleared 2,000.
The number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 was at its highest point on Dec. 17 with 1,252 people with confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Mississippi hospitals. There were also 66 hospitalized patients with suspected cases of COVID-19.
The number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care is 319 with 190 on ventilators.
Of the 4,390 COVID-19 deaths reported in Mississippi this year, 1,613 have taken place in long-term care facilities.
Coronavirus in South Mississippi
George County — 1,578 (21 new cases)
Hancock — 1,667 (23 new)
Harrison — 9,404 (142 new)
Jackson — 7,843 (64 new)
Pearl River — 2,208 (31 new)
Stone — 1,038 (15 new)
This story was originally published December 19, 2020 at 9:55 AM.
