How bad was Mississippi’s COVID surge in August? Charts, maps paint startling picture
The increase in new COVID-19 cases in Mississippi over the last month was startling.
The spike in cases from the Delta variant began in mid-July, according to statistics provided by the Mississippi Health Department.
Rather than a daily look at the growing number of new cases and additional deaths, here is a look at the last month, from Aug. 1 to Aug. 31, reported by the Mississippi Health Department.
Total confirmed cases in Mississippi
To compare: The coronavirus began March 11, 2020. It took more than 6 months before Mississippi topped 96,000 cases on Sept. 26, 2020 and just one month this year. It took from March 11 to May 29, 2020, before 706 deaths were reported.
COVID totals in South MS
Aug. 31 — 72,735 cases and 1,099 deaths
Aug. 1 — 51,427 cases and 912 deaths
That’s an increase of 21,308 new cases and 187 deaths in one month
It took nine months from the start of the coronavirus to top 21,000 cases, the amount reported in the six counties of South Mississippi over the last one month. It took more than five months into the pandemic to reach 187 deaths, which is what South Mississippi has seen in the last one month.
COVID-19 hospitalizations in Mississippi
A record number of people in Mississippi were hospitalized with the coronavirus.
South Mississippi hospitals and emergency rooms were overflowing with patients and health officials said patients were younger and sicker with this fourth wave of COVID-19.
Encouraging signs
Mississippi isn’t likely to see this rapid increase of new cases and deaths in September.
New cases hit a record in Mississippi the week ending Aug. 20, with 25,102 new cases.
The peak in deaths came the week later ending Aug. 27, when 288 deaths were reported for the week.
For the week ending Sept. 3, cases were down by more than 5,800 statewide to 19,223 and deaths dropped to 261 for the week.
In South Mississippi, new cases peaked the week of Aug. 13, with 5,775 cases, and have dropped each week since. The week of Sept. 3 ended with 3,741 new cases.
State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers said it’s too soon to see if this is a trend that will continue.
Hospitalizations are showing more gradual increases, and even decreases some days as more people get vaccinated and are treated with monoclonal antibodies that reduce hospitalization. The infusions are available at more than 180 locations across the state, he said.
“Most of the deaths that will happen in the next month are preventable,” said Dr. Thomas Dobbs, state health officer, who advised that people get vaccinated and continue to wear masks and social distance when inside.
