Warren County reports 30 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday; statewide sees another 1,000-plus day

Mississippi has again reported more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday.

In Warren County, the Mississippi State Department of Health reports another 30 new COVID-19 cases and no new deaths Tuesday. The cumulative number of cases in the county to date is 886, and the county’s death toll is 24.

Statewide, MSDH reports 1,342 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, bringing the total cumulative confirmed cases in Mississippi to 52,299. The seven-day average for new cases is 1,255.

MSDH reports Tuesday that another 42 Mississippians died of COVID-19 statewide, the second highest one-day death count, bringing the total number of deaths in the state to 1,543. The highest one-day death count in Mississippi occurred July 7, with 44 reported deaths. The state’s rate of deaths to confirmed cases is about 2.8%, 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.

Source: MSDH

MSDH reported deaths in the following counties Tuesday. Click the county links to see a summary.

Two confirmed COVID-19 related deaths occurred between June 3 and July 27, identified from death certificate reports. The additional deaths were reported in the following counties:

Deaths and new cases were reported as of 6 p.m. Monday, July 27. MSDH usually reports new statistics on the COVID-19 coronavirus each day based on the previous day’s testing and death reports.

The total number of Mississippians tested for COVID-19 (PCR tests) as of Monday, July 27, is 432,422 or about 14.5% of the state’s 2.976 million residents. The positivity rate (positive results to total tests) is about 12.6% indicating Mississippi is not testing enough, and results are probably an undercount of actual infections.

The total number of outbreaks in long-term care facilities is 192, a number that has been rising recently after having gone down for a while. About 46%, or 703, of the state’s total deaths were people in long-term care facilities. Fifteen of the 42 deaths reported Tuesday were in LTC facilities.

In Warren County as of 6 p.m. Thursday, July 23, MSDH reported that Shady Lawn Health and Rehabilitation, The Bluffs Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, and Vicksburg Convalescent Center are under investigation for active COVID-19 outbreaks. Shady Lawn has seven COVID-19 cases among staff, 25 cases among residents and one resident death, The Bluffs has seven cases among staff and 15 among residents. Vicksburg Convalescent has one case among staff and two among residents. Deaths in the county include nine residents of Heritage House Nursing Center, which is no longer under investigation.

MSDH has estimated the number of people who can be presumed recovered from COVID-19 in Mississippi. That number is 35,071 through Sunday, July 26. This figure is updated weekly. It represents about 64.6% of the cumulative 54,299 cases reported as of Tuesday, July 28.

The number of cases in Warren County three weeks ago, Tuesday, July 7, was 532, therefore the estimated number of people presumed recovered in the county is 508, or about 57.3% of the 856 cumulative cases reported Tuesday, July 28. The county has an estimated 354 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 nearly tripled. Two weeks ago, health officials began warning repeatedly that some hospitals were running out of ICU beds. That warning has become more urgent as the numbers of cases continue to rise.

The number of Mississippians hospitalized for the virus as of 6 p.m. Sunday, July 26, is 1,184. The number includes 969 with confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 215 people with suspected but unconfirmed cases. Of those with confirmed infections, 288 were critically ill and in intensive care units and 169 were on ventilators.

Source: MSDH

For additional information, visit the MSDH website.