Mississippi's COVID-19 numbers set one day record for new cases

Yesterday (Thursday), the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) reported 1,092 new cases of COVID-19 in the state — by far the greatest one-day total since the pandemic began — and 5 new deaths.

“Mississippi's total of COVID-19 cases since March 11 now stands at 24,516, with 1,016 deaths,” according to the agency’s statement on Thursday. Fifty of the new cases reported today were among residents in long-term care facilities, and there are now 86 active outbreaks of COVID-19 in long-term care facilities (where an outbreak is one or more cases among residents or staff).

As of 6 p.m. on Wednesday, MSDH reported, there were 526 Mississippians hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 infection, and 219 with suspected COVID-19.

Thursday’s total of new cases eclipses the previous top two days, including Wednesday’s 526 cases and Monday’s 611.

The truth is, there’s a lot of COVID out there,” State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said. “It’s going to kill a lot of people and it’s going to over-stress our health care system. That’s the reality.”