The state health department reported 1,669 new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday and 61 new related deaths.

Nationwide, more than 42.03 million cases of the coronavirus have been reported to-date. Of the total 672,738 deaths reported in the U.S., 225 new deaths were reported Tuesday. Mississippi’s 61 make up 27% of this new death total.

State totals are now 477,769 cases (276,519 confirmed and 201,250 probable) and 9,331 related deaths (6,283 confirmed and 3,048 probable).

Lincoln County has reported 39 new cases since Friday. The county has now recorded 5,271 cases and 131 deaths. Though all counties immediately bordering Lincoln have reported new cases, only Walthall has reported any new related fatalities, recording one additional death Tuesday.

Issaquena County remains the lowest reporting in Mississippi, with 191 cases and six deaths, none newly reported.

Until Tuesday, five counties had more than 20,000 cases and more than 300 deaths each — De Soto, 30,148 cases and 352 deaths; Harrison, 32,698 cases and 481 deaths; Hinds, 30,882 cases and 581 deaths; Jackson, 23,474 cases and 341 deaths; and Rankin, 21,203 cases and 366 deaths. Each reported new cases and deaths Tuesday.

Tuesday, Lauderdale County joined the over-300 group in deaths, reporting three new fatal cases to reach 302 COVID-related deaths.

Monday, King’s Daughters Medical Center in Brookhaven reported seven unvaccinated COVID-19 positive patients in its care, with six on ventilators in the intensive care unit. Twenty of the 63 patients seen in the emergency room over the previous 24 hours were COVID related.

KDMC had administered 130 monoclonal antibody infusions since Sept. 1; 587 were administered in August.

About the vaccines

Vaccines go through extensive trials before they can be introduced in a country, according to the World Health Organization.

Expert doctors and scientists follow strict international standards while deciding to make a vaccine available to the public. Like all medicines, vaccines may cause side effects, though these are usually minor and temporary. More serious side effects are extremely rare. A person is more likely to be seriously harmed by a disease than its vaccine.

People cannot contract COVID-19 from any of its vaccines. None of the available vaccines contain the live virus that causes COVID-19. Mild side effects indicate the vaccine is working.

No evidence currently exists that any vaccine, medication or other “treatment” protects against the COVID-19 virus apart from those specifically made for COVID-19, according to WHO.