Six new COVID-19 cases Sunday and Monday in Warren County

In Warren County, the Mississippi State Department of Health reported three new COVID-19 cases Sunday, three Monday and no new deaths. The cumulative number of cases in the county to date is 1,248, and the county’s death toll is 41.

Statewide, MSDH reported 626 new COVID-19 cases Sunday and 511 Monday, bringing the total cumulative confirmed cases in Mississippi to 78,405. With six of the last seven days reporting fewer than 1,000 cases, the seven-day average of new cases is 856, up more than 150 cases from the beginning of the seven-day period.

MSDH reported Sunday that three Mississippians died of COVID-19 statewide and another eight Monday, bringing the total number of deaths in the state to 2,248. The state’s rate of deaths to confirmed cases is about 2.9%. The rate had been holding steady for at least two weeks at 2.8% but has risen slightly in the past week.

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. The highest number of deaths in any one day was 51 reported Aug. 5. 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 Sunday:

MSDH reported deaths in the following counties Monday:

Deaths and new cases were reported as of 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, and Sunday, Aug. 23. MSDH usually reports new statistics on the COVID-19 coronavirus each day based on the previous day’s testing and death reports.

The primary metric concerning state health officials are the numbers of people hospitalized, and that number rose steadily with the rise of new cases. On June 6, the number of Mississippians hospitalized with confirmed cases of COVID-19 was at 358. Since then, hospitalizations have nearly tripled. They have leveled off in the past couple of weeks and are now seeing a drop. Five weeks ago, health officials began warning repeatedly that some hospitals were running out of ICU beds. That warning became more urgent as the number of critical cases continued to rise. With the number of cases falling in the past couple of weeks, critical cases are now also seeing a drop.

The number of Mississippians hospitalized for the virus as of 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21, is 982, showing a clear downward trend. The number includes 821 with confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 161 people with suspected but unconfirmed cases. Of those with confirmed infections, 259 were critically ill and in intensive care units and 148 were on ventilators.

Source: MSDH

MSDH has estimated the number of people who can be presumed recovered from COVID-19 in Mississippi. That number is 62,707 through Sunday, Aug. 23. This figure is updated weekly. It represents about 80% of the cumulative 78,405 cases reported as of Monday, Aug. 24.

The number of cases in Warren County three weeks ago, Monday, Aug. 3, was 964, therefore the estimated number of people presumed recovered in the county is 923, or about 74% of the 1,248 cumulative cases reported Monday, Aug. 24. The county has an estimated 284 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 total number of Mississippians tested for COVID-19 (PCR tests) as of Friday, Aug. 21, is 530,974 or about 17.8% of the state’s 2.976 million residents. The positivity rate (positive results to tests, seven-day average) skyrocketed to 40.8% Sunday, according to Johns Hopkins University, indicating Mississippi is not testing nearly enough, and results are probably an undercount of actual infections. The national rate is currently 6.2%, and a rate of 5% or less indicates adequate testing. Mississippi’s positivity rate has been the highest or among the highest in the nation for weeks.

The total number of outbreaks in long-term care facilities is 173 Monday. About 42.3%, or 951, of the state’s total deaths were people in long-term care facilities. All deaths reported Sunday and Monday were in long-term care facilities.

In Warren County as of 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20, MSDH reported that three long-term facilities were under investigation for active COVID-19 outbreaks:

• Shady Lawn had seven cases among staff, 32 cases among residents and nine resident deaths.
• The Bluffs had 15 cases among staff, 44 cases among residents and three resident deaths.
• Vicksburg Convalescent had 11 cases among staff, four cases among residents and no resident deaths.

A total of 19 deaths in the county were residents of LTC facilities.

For additional information, visit the MSDH website.