Mississippi has reached an unfortunate milestone in the pandemic as the state officially hit new peaks in terms of hospitalizations, patients in intensive care and ventilators in use.
According to data shared by the Mississippi State Department of Health, 1,490 patients are hospitalized across the state—surpassing the previous peak from January. Officials say that 1,300 of those individuals are unvaccinated.
Today the state has surpassed all previous highs in Mississippians hospitalized for COVID-19. Hospitals are operating at emergency capacity to cope with the incoming flood of COVID-19 patients. Of the nearly 1,500 now in a hospital for COVID-19, more than 1,300 are unvaccinated. pic.twitter.com/UA0XZqvDVU
— MS Dept of Health (@msdh) August 12, 2021
ICU capacity is scarce as 388 beds are currently in use with 264 patients on a ventilator.
This morning, the state’s highest one-day rise of new COVID-19 cases was reported with 4,412.
Wednesday, State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs explained that most of the individuals being admitted to the hospital are under 50 and the leading age group for mortality is now 50-64. This is due to a high vaccination rate among the state’s 65+ population and a lower rate among younger adults.
An increased number of children have also been hospitalized in recent weeks.
Several measures have been taken to begin addressing capacity and staffing issues in healthcare facilities across the state.
Continue Reading: Mississippi requests aid of USNS Comfort as hospitals feel strain
