COVID infections now over 1,300 here

Mississippi has passed New Jersey as the state with the highest rate of COVID-19 deaths in the United States.

Nearly 1 of every 320 Mississippians having succumbed to the coronavirus.

Figures from the Mississippi Department of Health show that 9,270 people have died from COVID-19 since March 2020, and increase of 105 since last week. There has been 476,600 people infected since March 2020. The state has a population of roughly 3 million and has had one of the worst vaccination rates in the country.

State health officials continue to urge Mississippians to get vaccinated for COVID-19.

The number of COVID-19 cases reported in Kemper County by the Mississippi Department of Health increased by 14 in the past week.

Kemper County has 1,377 infections reported since March 2020. There has also been one additional death related to COVID-19 in the past week, moving the total of 38 people in Kemper County being taken by the dread disease.

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.