New COVID cases under 1,000 for 4th straight day, but Coast hospitals are strained

The state health department announced 791 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, bringing the seven-day average for new cases in Mississippi to 1,235.

Mississippi reported 26 new deaths, including two each in Jackson and Pearl River counties.

The state reported 122 new cases in the six counties of South Mississippi, bringing the total since the pandemic began to 37,739.

Hospitalizations have been falling gradually since the beginning of the month, reaching 898 patients on Feb. 1, down from 1,358 on Jan. 12. There were 262 patients in an ICU and 152 on ventilators, down from 360 and 228 at the start of the month.

Coast ICUs continue to treat large numbers of COVIID-19 patients. As of Feb. 1, Singing River Pascagoula was treating eight patients in its ICU, with two beds available. Singing River Ocean Springs was also treating eight patients with three ICU beds available.

Merit Health in Biloxi was treating five patients in its nine-bed ICU, with no available beds.

Memorial in Gulfport was treating six patients in the ICU, with 13 beds available. The hospital increased ICU beds from 26 to 38 to accommodate the increased need.

The state’s vaccine rollout puts it in the bottom half of the pack nationally, with 7.2% of Mississippians having received at least one dose, below the U.S. average of 8%.

Racial disparities remain significant: as of Feb. 2, just 17% of doses had been given to Black Mississippians. On the Coast, Vietnamese seniors are struggling against a language barrier and technology issues as they try to get vaccines.

Vaccine appointments can be set up through covidvaccine.umc.edu or by calling 877-978-6453.

COVID-19 cases in South Mississippi:

• George County — 2,168 cases (3 new)
• Hancock County — 3,179 cases (5 new)
• Harrison County — 15,412 cases (36 new)
• Jackson County — 11,590 cases (44 new)
• Pearl River County — 3,775 cases (26 new)
• Stone County — 1,615 cases (8 new)

Tuesday, Feb. 2

Mississippi announced 825 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, the third day in a row with less than 1,000 new cases, which hasn’t happened since late November.

The seven-day average for new cases in Mississippi is now 1,419 — the lowest since Dec. 1.

There were 76 deaths reported in the state on Tuesday as the death toll now stands at 6,132 since the coronavirus pandemic began last year.

Seventeen of the deaths were reported in the state’s southernmost six counties, including 11 in Harrison County. There were three reported in Jackson County, two in Pearl River and one in Hancock.

Statewide, the number of people hospitalized with confirmed cases of COVID-19 was 913 as of Jan. 31. That figure stood at 1,444 on Jan. 4.

There were 269 people in intensive care, including 152 on ventilators.

People who are ages 65 and up are eligible for the vaccine. Also, people who are 16 and up and suffer from a pre-existing condition that makes them more susceptible to severe symptoms of the coronavirus are eligible.

Vaccine appointments can be set up through covidvaccine.umc.edu or by calling 877-978-6453.

COVID-19 cases in South Mississippi:

George County c 2,165 (17 new cases)

Hancock County — 3,174 (12 new cases)

Harrison County — 15,376 (84 new cases)

Jackson County — 11,546 (51 new cases)

Pearl River County — 3,749 (32 new cases)

Stone County — 1,607 (2 new cases)

Monday, Feb. 1

The seven-day average of new cases of the coronavirus in Mississippi dipped Monday to the lowest point since early December, but health officials caution it’s still too high and much higher than the summer surge.

Mississippi State Department of Health reported 705 new cases and 11 deaths Monday.

The state’s seven-day average of 1,509 cases per day is the lowest since Dec. 1. The peak was 2,432 on Jan. 10, which was 10 months into the pandemic.

South Mississippi is now averaging 300 new cases a day, down from a high of 375 in mid-January.

Dr. Paul Byers, state epidemiologist, said last week that the numbers are showing signs of leveling off after the post-holiday surge, but they are still much higher than at the summer peak. The seven-day average peaked during the summer at 1,381 cases on July 26.

The state had 1,229 deaths from the coronavirus reported in January, 160 of them in South Mississippi.

As of Saturday, over 6,000 Mississippians have died of the coronavirus since the pandemic began. Harrison County is the first in South Mississippi to tally over 15,000 total cases.

South Mississippi added 101 new cases Monday and 1 new death in Stone County.

The death toll by county now stands at 223 in Harrison County, 196 in Jackson County, 111 in Pearl River, 66 in Hancock, 42 in George and 28 in Stone.

Cases by county since March 11 are:

George — 2,148 (3 new)

Hancock — 3,162 (8 new)

Harrison — 15,292 (56 new)

Jackson — 11,495 (24 new)

Pearl River — 3,717 (3 new)

Stone — 1,605 (7 new)

Totals for South Mississippi: 37,419 cases, 666 deaths

Totals for Mississippi: 275,706 cases, 6,056 deaths, 222,812 recoveries through Jan. 24.

Vaccination report: Through the end of January, 217,443 first doses and 26,447 second doses of vaccine have been administered, for a total of 243,890.

Sunday, Jan. 31

Numbers of new cases reported by the health department typically are lower on weekends. On Sunday, 811 new cases and 27 more deaths were reported in Mississippi.

In the six counties of South Mississippi, 146 new cases and 5 deaths were added.

Total cases by county are:

George — 2,145 (5 new)

Hancock — 3,154 (26 new)

Harrison — 15,236 (56 new)

Jackson — 11,471 (43 new)

Pearl River — 3,714 (10 new)

Stone — 1,598 (6 new)

This story was originally published February 3, 2021 at 3:59 PM with the headline "New COVID cases under 1,000 for 4th straight day, but Coast hospitals are strained."