Record number of COVID-19 deaths reported in Mississippi, the Coast and Harrison County
The number of new COVID-19 deaths reported by the state Tuesday hit a record high across Mississippi, the lower six counties and in Harrison County.
Statewide, the health department reported 1,943 new cases of coronavirus and 85 new deaths. The previous high for most new deaths was Dec. 22 with 79.
All 85 people died in December.
In South Mississippi, there were 16 new deaths, breaking the previous record of 12 in early November.
Harrison County alone had 12 of the newly reported deaths, one from a review of a Dec. 21 death certificate. The previous record for new deaths added in one day was 4 on Dec. 22.
Jackson County also had three new deaths, and Hancock County had one.
State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs has repeatedly urged residents to refrain from traveling to see relatives or others during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays to try to prevent a spike in coronavirus cases.
“The state’s COVID cases and hospitalizations continue to outpace our healthcare resources — reaching record numbers!” Dobbs said in a tweet Monday. “Do your part to stop these numbers from skyrocketing into the New Year.”
Mississippi now has a total of 210,032 cases and 4,419 death from coronavirus since the health department reported the first case in the state in March.
Since Thanksgiving, the state has had 975 deaths statewide from COVID-19 and an additional 64,396 cases, an anticipated surge in cases during the holidays that is only expected to continue to increase daily.
South Mississippi now has had a total of 26,199 reported cases of COVID-19 and 497 deaths.
The total and new cases for South Mississippi as of Tuesday are:
George: 1,708 (30 new)
Hancock: 1,929 (17 new)
Harrison: 10,372 (106 new)
Jackson: 8,600 (124 new)
Pearl River: 2,458 (28 new)
Stone: 1,132 (6 new)
Testing site changes
Memorial Hospital is relocating the Cedar Lake Road COVID-19 testing site to the Kenny Fournier Multipurpose building next the D’Iberville Civic Center at 10395 Auto Mall Parkway beginning at noon Tuesday.
Testing at the new location will begin at 8 a.m. Wednesday.
Other testing sites are:
- Memorial Stone County Medical Center, 1440 East Central Ave., Wiggins , from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. p.m. Call 601-928-6700 to make an appointment.
- Memorial Long Beach walk-in, 5120 Beatline Road, Suite B, in Long Beach, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
- Memorial Physicians Clinic, in Gautier, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call 228-822-6148 for an appointment and directions to the clinic.
- Memorial Physicians Clinics, 1213 Broad Ave., Gulfport, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
This story was originally published December 29, 2020 at 11:31 AM.
