Mississippi reached 7,000 total COVID-19 related deaths Friday, according to Saturday updates from the Mississippi State Department of Health.

One additional death was reported the following day, and 196 and 79 additional cases were reported for Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

The state has now recorded 304,695 cases and 7,001 fatalities. Confirmed cases number 187,164 and 117,531 cases are designated as probable — those who have tested positive by other testing methods such as antibody or antigen and have recent symptoms consistent with COVID-19, indicated a recent infection.

There have been 4,858 confirmed virus-linked deaths and 2,143 probable — those who have COVID-19 as a cause of death on the death certificate but no confirmatory testing was performed.

On Friday afternoon — the most recent available data — 238 people were hospitalized statewide for COVID-19, a steady decline over the month of March. Forty-two were in hospitals with suspected cases. Seventy-five were in intensive care units and 41 were on ventilators.

Lincoln County has had 3,840 cases and 106 deaths. Of the counties bordering Lincoln County, Lawrence and Franklin have had the least number of deaths from the virus, each with 22. Jefferson County has had 27, and has the lowest number of cases in the area — 641.

Statewide, Issaquena County has had the least number of cases and deaths — 168 and six — and has the least population.

 

DeSoto County has recorded the most positive cases at 20,470, and Hinds has reported the most deaths — 401.