Mississippi reports more than 4,400 new COVID cases, shattering record set 2 days ago
With each day, statistics show that Mississippi is entering its worst stage of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The state’s health department reported 4,412 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, easily surpassing the previous single-day record high of 3,488 set just two days prior.
Health officials say the delta variant of COVID-19 is to blame as stats increase across the board in the state.
“Please be safe! Hospitals and ER’s (are) beyond capacity,” State Health Officer Thomas Dobbs said in a Twitter post on Thursday. “Protect yourself: vaccinate, mask indoors, avoid indoor social gatherings and talk with your doc about moncoclonal antibodies if you get sick.”
Even with advancements in treatment since the pandemic first hit Mississippi in March of 2020, the death toll continues to climb. On Thursday, there were 20 newly-reported deaths to bring the state’s total COVID deaths to 7,730.
The state also set a new high with 1,490 people hospitalized with confirmed cases of COVID, including 388 in intensive care.
On Monday, University of Mississippi Medical Center vice chancellor LouAnn Woodward said that there were no ICU beds available in the state. There were 371 people reported in intensive care in Mississippi that day.
Hospitals across the state are reporting increasing numbers that show the impact of the delta variant.
▪ Singing River Health System on the Coast: There were nine people under the age of 40 in intensive care with COVID-19 on Wednesday.
▪ St. Dominic’s in Jackson: Of the 386 total patients in the hospital on Wednesday, 104 had COVID. Twenty-five of the COVID patients were in intensive care, only one of those being vaccinated. Of the 104 total COVID patients, nine had been vaccinated. Seven people were waiting for beds in the hospital.
▪ Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg: There were 105 COVID patients with 15 of those being vaccinated on Wednesday. Twenty-eight of those people were in intensive care with only two being vaccinated. Of the 14 patients on ventilators, none were vaccinated.
While vaccination rates have increased in Mississippi over the last couple of weeks, the state continues to lag almost the entire nation. In the 18-64 age group, Mississippi ranks second to last in the nation in fully vaccinated people. The state’s percentage of 36.8 ranks only above Alabama (36.4).
This story was originally published August 12, 2021 at 9:17 AM.
