As of 6 p.m. Thursday, the Mississippi State Department of Health reported that there have been 82 deaths from a total of 2,469 COVID-19 cases in this state. Four of those deaths involved Pearl River County residents.
According to the MSDH website, this county has 77 confirmed cases of the upper respiratory virus. As reported earlier this week, two local long term care facilities reported COVID-19 outbreaks.
By Thursday, only one county in this state has not reported a case of the virus.
Also earlier this week, MSDH personnel have reported that the virus appears to affect black residents more than any other demographic. As of April 9, the stats show that 54 percent of the cases reported were in black residents, while 35 percent were in white residents. The remaining 10 percent was reported in people identified in the “other” category. In relation to deaths, 67 percent of the 82 deaths were repotted to have involved black residents, and 33 percent were in white residents, MSDH reports.
According to statistics on the MSDH website, deaths categorized in age groups entail: two deaths in the 30 to 39 age group; three deaths in the 40-49 age group; six deaths in the 50-59 age group; 18 deaths in the 60-69 age group; 30 deaths in the 70-79 age group; 13 deaths in the 80-89 age group and 10 deaths in the 90 and older age group.
Of the total cases reported, 41 percent were males and 59 percent were females.
No deaths have been reported in people younger than 18-years-old, but 15 cases were reported in children aged 1 to 5, 16 cases were reported in children aged 6 to 10 and 32 cases were reported in children aged 11 to 17.
The counties with 50 or more cases include; Bolivar with 61 cases, three deaths and two long term care facilities reporting outbreaks; Desoto with 158 cases and one death; Forrest with 76 cases, two deaths and one case in a long term care facility; Harrison with 99 cases, four deaths and two long term care facilities reporting an outbreak; Hinds with 219 cases, two deaths and two long term care facilities reporting outbreaks; Jackson with 135 cases, five deaths and one long term care facility reporting an outbreak; Lauderdale with 118 cases, six deaths and four reported facility outbreaks; Madison with 95 cases, two deaths and one reported facility outbreak; Rankin with 88 cases and two deaths and Yazoo with 55 cases and one death.
Statewide, a total of 20,370 people have been tested, either by the MSDH public health laboratory (6,309) or through external medical providers (14.061). The statistics for the total number of tests conducted was from April 5.