After reporting dozens more COVID-19 coronavirus deaths Friday, Mississippi inched toward a grim record.

The Mississippi State Health Department reported 45 new deaths on Friday, bringing the total death toll to 5,713.

In the first 22 days of January 929 deaths have been reported, making it second on the list of most COVID deaths reported since the pandemic began. In December, 982 deaths were reported.

If the pace of deaths reported in January were to continue through the end of the month, the state may see as many as 1,300 deaths.

Because some deaths reported on a given day or in a given month may have occurred earlier, not all of the deaths reported Friday occurred in the last 24 hours.

The state reported Friday 2,050 new cases were found in the last 24 hours. That brings the total number of cases found in the state since the pandemic began to 261,167.

The 14-day, daily average of new cases dipped to 1,895 on Friday.

The 7-day, daily average of new cases dipped to 1,973 with Friday’s update.

Of the total cases, the state believes approximately 207,769 cases have recovered and while many people who are infected with the virus may only have moderate or even no visible symptoms, others can get gravely ill and can die as a result.