Mississippi ended its worst month of the COVID-19 pandemic by shattering hospitalization records, the state’s top health official said.

The Mississippi State Department of Health reported 2,756 new cases Thursday, the second-highest, single-day number of cases reported since the pandemic began in March. The highest single-day number of new cases was set yesterday. The latest numbers bring the total cases found in the state to 215,811.

Mississippi State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs wrote on social media that the state had broken several records with Wednesday’s hospitalization statistics including:

• Highest number of COVID patients in ICU – 346, including five children
• Highest number of COVID patients on ventilators: 219
• Highest number of total ICU patients on record: 842

Dobbs urged Mississippians to follow health guidelines to slow the spread of the virus.

“Please be safe this New Years,” he wrote. “We all know what to do.”

Of the total cases, the state believes approximately 167,263 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.

Mississippi reported 40 additional deaths of COVID-19 coronavirus patients Thursday, making December an even deadlier month of the pandemic. A total of 4,787 Mississippians have died from the virus, the state reported. The state has reported 982 deaths in December.

Note: Some deaths reported on a given day or in a given month may have occurred earlier, but were delayed in reporting.

Approximately 62,541 new cases have been confirmed in December, the month with the highest number of new cases since the pandemic began in March. The high case load is an ominous sign for health care workers and hospital administrators already struggling with capacity problems.

Here’s a monthly new case breakdown:

Month	New cases
June	11,746
July	31,496
August	24,203
September	15,240
October	21,970
November	33,111
December (month to date)	62,541

The 7-day, daily average of new cases rose to 1,880 with Thursday’s update.

The 14-day, daily average of new cases rose to 1,993 on Thursday.