541 COVID cases, 30 deaths reported Thursday in Mississippi

JACKSON, Miss. (WLOX) - A total of 541 new cases and 30 new deaths were reported Thursday across the state of Mississippi, according to the state Department of Health. That total is the number of positive COVID-19 cases from 3pm Tuesday to 3pm Wednesday.

Of the 30 deaths reported, 15 occurred between Dec. 11 and Feb. 23, including one in Harrison County and two in Jackson County. The other 15 deaths occurred between Jan. 21 and Feb. 17, and include one death in George County and an additional death in Harrison County.

There were 96 new cases reported in the six lower counties of the state. Those cases were in the following counties: Harrison County (57), Jackson County (15), Pearl River County (10), Hancock County (4), Stone County (6), and George County (4),

As of February 23 at 3pm, there have been a total of 788,479 cases and 11,984 deaths reported in Mississippi.

On Tuesday, the MSDH reported a new influenza-associated pediatric death in a child under 18. It’s the second pediatric flu death of the 2021-2022 flu season. Though flu activity is currently low in Mississippi, flu is still being transmitted.

As of Feb. 22, there were 468 people hospitalized in Mississippi with confirmed infections. Of those, 138 were in the ICU and 87 were on ventilators.

COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots are available for Mississippians at no cost from MSDH sites around the state, and from local pharmacies and healthcare providers. In all, the Mississippi Department of Health reports that 50% of the state’s residents are fully vaccinated as of Feb. 15. That’s lower than the national average of vaccinated Americans, which currently sits at 64%. As for booster shots, 36% of Mississippians have received one. The national average is 43%.

To see the most recent vaccination report from MSDH, click here.

Click here for more information on vaccinations, including where appointments can be made.

Anyone wanting to be tested for COVID-19 can complete a pre-screening by calling one of the following hotlines:

• Memorial Hospital Coronavirus Hotline: 228-867-5000
• Singing River Health System Coronavirus Hotline: 228-809-5000
• MS Dept. of Health Coronavirus Hotline: 877-978-6453.

In order to determine the presumed number of people who have recovered from the virus, state health officials say the patient must meet one of two criteria. For patients who were NOT hospitalized, they are considered recovered if they have not tested positive for the virus after 14 days. For patients who were hospitalized or if hospitalization was unknown, they are presumed recovered if it has been 21 days or more since they tested positive.

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