Hospitalization rising for COVID-19 cases in Mississippi

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi is seeing a steady increase of patients hospitalized with confirmed or suspected cases of the new coronavirus.

“Please be safe this July 4 weekend,” the state health officer, Dr. Thomas Dobbs, said Thursday on Twitter. “Recommend celebrating with household members ONLY! Please avoid parties, gatherings. Things are getting worse very quickly.”

The Health Department said Thursday that as of Wednesday night, 602 people were hospitalized with confirmed cases and 261 were hospitalized with suspected cases of the highly contagious virus. That was up from 490 confirmed cases and 186 suspected cases among people hospitalized as of Saturday night.

Mississippi has a population of about 3 million. The Health Department said Thursday that the state has had at least 28,770 cases and 1,092 deaths from the coronavirus as of Wednesday evening. That is an increase of 870 cases and 10 deaths over numbers reported the day before.

The department said at least 2,886 cases

of the virus have been confirmed in long-term care facilities such as nursing homes, with at least 529 virus-related deaths in those facilities.

The number of coronavirus infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected without feeling sick. For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up within weeks. But for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause severe symptoms and be fatal.