The Mississippi State Department of Health on Friday reported another COVID-19 death in Tallahatchie County, raising the total local death count from complications of the virus to 45.
It is the third COVID-related death of a Tallahatchian identified in an MSDH daily report this week. The 43rd was noted Monday and the 44th Tuesday.
The latest local death was among 31 additional COVID-19 deaths announced statewide on Friday and one of 19 identified from death certificate reports having a date of death between June 1 and Aug. 8, MSDH noted.
The Health Department on Friday announced 5,023 new positive cases of COVID-19, setting a new single-day record for the state. The previous record of 4,412 was established just yesterday.
MSDH said Friday that 1,490 Mississippians are hospitalized with positive COVID-19 — the largest daily count since mid-February — and 88 are hospitalized with a suspected case and are awaiting test results.
A total of 388 Mississippians are being treated for COVID-19 in intensive care units around the state — the most since Jan. 12 — and 249 of those in ICU units are on ventilators to aid breathing, according to MSDH Friday figures.
Mississippi has logged 381,147 positive cases and 7,761 deaths since the first cases were reported in the state in March 2020.
Tallahatchie County has recorded 1,910 positive cases of the virus. The first infection was reported March 23, 2020, and the first COVID-related death in the county was announced on April 17, 2020.
Vaccination remains the best defense against the new delta variant of COVID-19, which is said to spread faster and easier than previous strains.
MSDH said Friday that during the period of July 15 through Aug. 11, 98% of the new COVID-19 cases were identified among people who were not vaccinated. Also, 90% of hospitalizations and 84% of COVID-related deaths during that period were among the unvaccinated.
Tallahatchie General Hospital in Charleston continues to offer COVID-19 vaccine on an appointment-only basis. Call 662-647-8000 for more information.
MSDH maintains a hotline, 1-877-978-6453, to answer questions about COVID-19 and vaccinations, including assisting with scheduling a vaccine appointment. The hotline is open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. daily.
For the latest guidance and case updates for Mississippi, download the MS Ready app or visit the MSDH page at www.healthyms.com/covid-19.
