Mississippi set a new all-time high for the most COVID-19 new cases in a 7-day period Thursday as the spread of the virus appears to be worsening.

The Mississippi State Department of Health reported 1,746 new cases on Thursday, bringing the total cases since the pandemic began in March to 147,382. In the last seven days just under 10,000 new cases have been confirmed in the state, nearly double the figure just one month ago.

Mississippi State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said Wednesday that Mississippi was “at the cusp of a major surge.”

Dobbs and other health officials have urged people to be safe over the holidays and not gather in groups to celebrate Thanksgiving, a warning that seems to have been ignored by many as millions crammed the nation’s airports this week.

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 Wednesday state hospitals were treating 1,039 patients that had either tested positive for COVID-19 or were suspected of having COVID but had not been tested. Of the total hospitalized, 942 patients had tested positive for the virus.

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

Over the last 14 days, approximately 17,989 Mississippians have tested positive for the virus. The record, 14-day high for total new cases occurred on August 1 when the level reached 18,034 cases.

The state reported 18 new deaths Thursday. A total of 3,763 Mississippians have died from the virus, the state reported.

The number of deaths reported in November, 431, has already outpaced October, 369, with four additional days left in this month.

The 7-day, daily average of new cases jumped to 1,427 with Thursday’s update. It set a new record for the highest 7-day average. The previous 7-day record high was 1,381 set on set July 26.

The 14-day, daily average of new cases jumped to 1,285 on Thursday. That number was just below the all-time record for the highest 14-day average of new cases, 1,288, set on August 1.