chart

Mississippi reported a record number of COVID-19 cases on Wednesday — 3,023.

State epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers said there was a minimal delay in reporting cases over the holidays, but “we are still seeing a lot of transmission out there.”

“It is still bad out there right now,” he said at a press briefing on Wednesday. “And we haven’t even made it through the holidays yet.”

The Mississippi State Department of Health reported 29 new COVID-19 related deaths on Wednesday. The department reported 85 new deaths on Tuesday, which was a record number.

MSDH has reported 213,055 cases and 4,747 COVID-19 related deaths since March.

Byers said that people still need to wear a mask, stay six feet away from others and avoid large gatherings. He added that people should stay within their nuclear family, except when they have to perform essential functions.

The state is in Phase 1a of its vaccine distribution plan, a phase in which COVID-19 vaccines are being given to health care workers and long-term care facility residents and staff. Mississippi has distributed vaccines to hospitals throughout the state, including to Rush Foundation Hospital and Anderson Regional Medical Center. The state will also allow health care workers to get vaccinated at drive-thru locations starting next week, Byers said.

Jim Craig, MSDH Senior Deputy and Director of Health Protection, said the vaccines will be available at 18 of the state’s drive-thru testing sites, including the site in Lauderdale County and the site in Neshoba County.

Byers said that anyone who works in a health care setting can receive a vaccine from these sites, including EMS personnel, doctors, nurses, dentists and administrative and support staff. Individuals can visit covidvaccine.umc.edu to make an appointment to be vaccinated at one of the drive-thru locations.

Byers said the state has distributed almost 120,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses so far, and that includes doses going to the drive-thru sites. He also said more than 17,000 individuals — who are in health care settings or long-term care settings — have received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine so far.

Byers said that there are over 1,300 confirmed COVID-19 cases in hospitals in Mississippi and more than 300 confirmed cases in intensive care units in the state.

As of Monday, Anderson Regional Medical Center had six adult COVID-19 patients in the ICU. Five out of 29 total adult ICU beds were available.

As of Monday, Rush Foundation Hospital had seven adult COVID-19 patients in the ICU. Five out of 34 total adult adult ICU beds were available.

COVID-19 case and death numbers for local counties are listed below.

Lauderdale County: 62 new cases; 4,875 total cases since March. No new deaths; 171 total deaths since March.

Clarke County: 12 new cases; 1,186 total cases since March. No new deaths; 58 total deaths since March.

Newton County: 20 new cases; 1,598 total cases since March. No new deaths; 33 total deaths since March.

Kemper County: Seven new cases; 652 total cases. No new deaths; 19 total deaths since March.

Neshoba County: 60 new cases; 2991 total cases. One new death, which occurred on Dec. 24; 140 total deaths since March.

MSDH presumed 167,263 people had recovered from COVID-19. The department also reported that there are 240 ongoing outbreaks of COVID-19 in long-term-care facilities.