Two more Tallahatchians have died from COVID-19, the Mississippi State Department of Health reported Thursday (Feb. 10).
In a daily update posted on the agency's website, MSDH identified two additional deaths in Tallahatchie County among 38 newly reported fatalities statewide occurring between Dec. 25, 2021, and Feb. 9, 2022.
The latest figures bring the local pandemic-related death toll to 58.
The 56th local victim, reported by MSDH two days ago, was among 51 people statewide who were said to have died from COVID-19 between Jan. 7 and Feb. 1, as identified from death certificate reports.
The Health Department noted Thursday that 3,147 Tallahatchians have been infected with COVID-19 since the outbreak began. Statewide on Thursday, that number stood at 774,505, with 11,508 deaths.
The first positive case in Tallahatchie County was reported on March 23, 2020, and the first local death was reported on April 17, 2020.
MSDH reported Tuesday (Feb. 8) that 682,840 Mississippians are presumed to have recovered from a bout with COVID-19, a figure that is updated weekly.
Recently, there has been a sharp decline in the number of new COVID-19 cases reported in Mississippi by MSDH.
The daily average for the three-day period of Feb. 8-10 was 2,016 new positive cases in the Magnolia State, a 66% drop from the seven-day average of 5,863 additional cases reported from Feb. 1-7.
A significant decline of new COVID-19 cases also is being seen nationally, where the most recent surge caused by the so-called omicron variant is waning.
While the number of new cases is dropping in many areas of the country, there continues to be a large number of hospitalizations and patients requiring ICU treatment, and the death rate remains high.
Health officials say vaccination remains the key to continued improvements for the pandemic.
Initial courses of vaccinations and boosters for COVID-19 are still available and being administered daily.
New oral antiviral medications targeting the virus that causes COVID-19 also are in the works.
In fact, MSDH announced in a Thursday afternoon email alert to media outlets that State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dan Edney will be providing an update on COVID-19 oral antivirals during a Zoom press briefing set for Friday morning.
The latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on COVID-19, is available on the CDC website.
