The numbers of cases and hospitalizations for patients with the COVID-19 coronavirus in Mississippi shows the pandemic has taken a stark turn for the worse, state health officials say.

Mississippi State Department of Health officials reported Wednesday that 1,875 new coronavirus cases were found in the last 24 hours.

Wednesday’s report was the highest number of cases found in a 24-hour period since late January.

In the last two weeks, nearly 16,000 new cases of the virus have been confirmed in Mississippi, state records show.

The additional cases reported Wednesday brings the total number of cases found in the state since the pandemic began to 339,954.

The Mississippi State Department of Health reported six new deaths on Wednesday, bringing the total death toll to 7,529.

Mississippi health leaders have said that a combination of a low overall vaccination rate among Mississippians along with a rapidly spreading Delta variant is causing the recent surge in cases.

Through Tuesday morning, approximately 36% of all Mississippians have received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccines available.

And approximately 32% of Mississippi’s population are fully vaccinated, the state reported.

For more detailed county-by-county vaccination results visit: https://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/resources/12130.pdf

The 7-day, daily average of new cases jumped to 1,327 on Wednesday, the highest level since February 2. By comparison, the rate was 193 on July 1, meaning in approximately four weeks the average number of new cases has increased 520 percent since the start of July.

The 14-day, daily average of new cases rose to 1,017 with Wedneday’s update. It was the highest level since February 10.

The recent spike in cases is also leading to pressure on the state’s health care system.

“We are seeing more and more ICU capacity being extinguished,” Mississippi State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said Tuesday. “The vast majority of the new cases are unvaccinated. Almost all cases are likely the Delta variant. If you look at the slope of the curve it’s increasingly extremely rapidly.”

The state is also reporting large growth in the number of COVID patients requiring hospitalization. Through Monday (the latest data available on Wednesday morning) the state showed 687 patients either with confirmed COVID or suspected COVID were in state hospital beds, the highest number since the winter peak.

Cumulative Cases and Deaths by County