COVID cases continue to rise

The number of COVID-19 infections are going up in Mississippi as state health officials continue to urge Mississippians to get vaccinated for COVID-19.

In the past week, there have been 17,033 new infections statewide and 303 new deaths aused by the dread disease, according to the Mississippi Department of Health. Only 2 percent of overall cases were among vaccinated people.

The number of COVID-19 cases reported in Kemper County by the Mississippi Department of Health increased by 49 in the past week.

Kemper County has 1,321 infections reports since March 2020. That has gone up from 1,272 in the past week. There has also been one additional deaths related to COVID-19 in the past week, moving the total of 35 people in Kemper County being taken by the dread disease.

Mississippi’s low vaccinated rate, with about 38% of the state’s 3 million people fully inoculated against COVID-19, is driving a surge in cases and hospitalizations that is overwhelming medical workers. The workers are angry and exhausted over both the workload and refusal by residents to embrace the vaccine.

In Kemper County, as of last Monday, 34 percent of the population or 3321 people have been fully vaccinated. Forty-one percent of the population or 4004, have received on of the shots. Fully vaccinated means either two doses of Moderna or Pfizer or one dose of Johnson & Johnson.

Mississippi is experiencing high levels of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations due to the delta variant. The delta variant is much more contagious, and spreads twice as easily compared to other strains. Outbreaks have been identified in youth camps, faith-based gatherings, funerals and social events

Wearing a mask is most important if you have a weakened immune system or if, because of your age or an underlying medical condition, you are at increased risk for severe disease, or if someone in your household has a weakened immune system, is at increased risk for severe disease, or is unvaccinated. If this applies to you or your household, you might choose to wear a mask regardless of the level of transmission in your area.

You should continue to wear a mask where required by laws, rules, regulations, or local guidance.

If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, find a vaccine. COVID-19 vaccines are effective at protecting you from getting sick. Based on what is know about COVID-19 vaccines, people who have been fully vaccinated can do things that they had stopped doing because of the pandemic.

For information on COVID-19 treatment, visit HealthyMS.com/covid-19.