Mississippi’s COVID-19 new case spread and the resulting hospitalizations continued to hover near record levels Wednesday after the state reported its latest statistics on the virus.

The Mississippi State Department of Health reported 1,092 new cases on Wednesday, bringing the total cases since the pandemic began in March to 145,636.

Of the total cases, the state believes approximately 121,637 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 die as a result.

Rapid increases in new COVID-19 cases over the last month have resulted in increased pressure on the state’s hospitals with a number of hospitals either at capacity or near-capacity in regular rooms and many reporting no ICU beds available.

The state reported that on Tuesday state hospitals were treating 1,041 patients that had either tested positive for COVID-19 or were suspected of having COVID but had not been tested. Of the total hospitalized, 946 patients had tested positive for the virus, an increase of 36 patients from the day prior.

On July 30, the state had a peak of 989 positive COVID patients hospitalized.

Over the last 14 days, approximately 16,243 Mississippians have tested positive for the virus. The record, 14-day high for total new cases occurred on August 1 when the level reached just about 18,000 cases.

The state reported 16 new deaths Wednesday. A total of 3,745 Mississippians have died from the virus, the state reported.

The number of deaths reported in November, 413, has already outpaced October, 369, with five additional days left in this month.

The 7-day, daily average of new cases dropped slightly to 1,177 with Wednesday’s update. The record for the highest 7-day average was 1,381 set on set July 26.

The 14-day, daily average of new cases dipped slightly to 1,160 on Wednesday. The record for the highest 14-day average was 1,288 set on August 1.