Fourth consecutive day of 1,000-plus new COVID-19 cases, 15 in Warren County

Saturday was the fourth consecutive day of more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases in the state.

In Warren County, the Mississippi State Department of Health reports 15 new COVID-19 cases and no new deaths Saturday. The cumulative number of cases in the county to date is 686, and the county’s death toll is 22.

As of Friday, July 17, MSDH reported that Shady Lawn Health and Rehabilitation and The Bluffs Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center are under investigation for active COVID-19 outbreaks in Warren County. Shady Lawn has two COVID-19 cases among staff, three cases among residents and one resident death, The Bluffs has three cases among staff. Deaths in the county include nine residents of Heritage House Nursing Center, which is no longer under investigation.

Statewide, MSDH reports 1,017 new COVID-19 cases Saturday, bringing the total cumulative confirmed cases in Mississippi to 41,846.

This is the fourth day in a row more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Mississippi.

MSDH reports Saturday that another 14 Mississippians died of COVID-19 statewide, bringing the total number of deaths in the state to 1,346. About 48% of the state’s total deaths were people in long-term care facilities. The state’s rate of deaths to confirmed cases is about 3.2%, a rate that has been falling very slowly for a few weeks.

The numbers of deaths can lag new cases by two weeks or more, which may be one reason deaths in the state had not risen dramatically until July 7 when 44 deaths were reported. In addition, most new cases are seen in younger people recently, and they are more likely to survive the virus than those 65 and older. By far, the age group reporting the most cases in Mississippi are young people from 18 to 29 years old.

MSDH reported deaths in the following counties Saturday:

Deaths and new cases were reported as of 6 p.m. Friday, July 17. MSDH usually reports new statistics on the COVID-19 coronavirus each day based on the previous day’s testing and death reports.

MSDH has estimated the number of people who can be presumed recovered from COVID-19 in Mississippi. That number is 25,932 through Sunday, July 12. This figure is updated weekly. It represents about 62% of the cumulative 41,846 cases reported as of Saturday, July 18.

The number of cases in Warren County three weeks ago, Saturday, June 27, was 392, therefore the estimated number of people presumed recovered in the county is 370, or about 53.9% of the 686 cumulative cases reported Saturday, July 18. The county has an estimated 294 active cases.

These estimates are based on MSDH’s guidelines for calculating estimated recoveries when hospitalizations are not known, using the number of cases 21 days ago, less known outcomes (deaths).

The primary metric concerning state health officials are the numbers of people hospitalized, and that number has been steadily rising with new cases. On June 6, the number of Mississippians hospitalized with confirmed cases of COVID-19 was at a low of 358. Since then, hospitalizations have more than doubled. Last week, health officials began warning repeatedly that some hospitals were running out of ICU beds.

The number of Mississippians hospitalized for the virus as of 6 p.m. Thursday, July 16, is 1,076. The number includes 853 with confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 223 people with suspected but unconfirmed cases. Of those with confirmed infections, 253 were critically ill and in intensive care units and 129 were on ventilators. (Hospitalization statistics have not been provided for Friday, July 17, at this time)

For additional information, visit the MSDH website.