Over 5,000 Mississippians have now died of COVID-19. Hospitalizations at all-time high.
The Mississippi State Department of Health reported its second-largest single-day number of new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday with 2,791.
Also, 38 additional deaths pushed the state’s total to 5,013 since the start of the pandemic.
As of Jan. 4, Mississippi’s COVID-19 hospitalizations were at an all-time high at 1,444.
This includes 349 people in intensive care and a new high mark of 223 patients on ventilators.
The seven-day average for new cases in the Magnolia State now stands at 2,169.
The state’s southernmost six counties reported 408 new cases and six deaths on Wednesday — four in Harrison County and two in Pearl River County, which has reported 19 deaths since the start of December to push its total to 87.
The seven-day average for new cases in South Mississippi is at 303, hovering above the 300 mark for the fourth consecutive day.
There have been 530 deaths from the coronavirus in South Mississippi with 141 of those being reported since Dec. 1.
The state health department has begun its vaccination rollout with health care workers and people over the age of 75 receiving priority in the early stages.
COVID-19 cases in South Mississippi
George County — 1,783 (10 new cases)
Hancock County — 2,204 (37 new cases)
Harrison County — 11,518 (174 new cases)
Jackson County — 9,189 (132 new cases)
Pearl River County — 2,821 (48 new cases)
Stone County — 1,259 (7 new cases)
This story was originally published January 6, 2021 at 11:23 AM.
