The Mississippi State Department of Health is reporting 1,943 new cases of COVID-19 and a record-high *85 deaths.
Today’s report brings the state’s total number of cases up to 210,032. With the additional deaths, 4,719 Mississippians have now passed away from the virus.
*MSDH Note: 4 COVID-19 related deaths occurred on December 21, identified from death certificate reports.
Overall hospitalizations remain high with State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs stating that we are continuing to place the healthcare system under increased stress.
“The state’s COVID cases and hospitalizations continue to outpace our healthcare resources – reaching record numbers! Do your part to stop these numbers from skyrocketing into the New Year,” Dr. Dobbs tweeted Monday.
Dr. Dobbs also recently explained that hospitals across the state are in the process of activating “crisis standards of care.”
Remember, 78 of Mississippi’s 82 counties remain under a mask mandate as a result of an expansion of Governor Tate Reeves’ executive order.
Adams, Alcorn, Amite, Attala, Bolivar, Calhoun, Carroll, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Clarke, Clay, Coahoma, Copiah, Covington, De Soto, Forrest, Franklin, Grenada, Harrison, Hinds, Holmes, Itawamba, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Kemper, Lafayette, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lee, Leflore, Lincoln, Lowndes, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Monroe, Montgomery, Neshoba, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Panola, Pearl River, Perry, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Rankin, Scott, Simpson, Stone, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Union, Washington, Webster, Winston, Yalobusha and Yazoo.
The current order also maintains a limit of 10 people for indoor gatherings in Mississippi and 50 people for outdoor gatherings when social distancing is not possible.
As of Monday, an estimated 167, 263 Mississippians have recovered from COVID-19.
