After closing out the deadliest month in Mississippi’s coronavirus, the state reported Monday the lowest number of new cases since before Thanksgiving, a bright spot in what had been a dark two months of the pandemic.

The Mississippi State Health Department reported 11 new deaths on Monday, bringing the total death toll to 6,056.

The state reported Monday 705 new cases were found in the last 24 hours. That brings the total number of cases found in the state since the pandemic began to 275,706.

The 7-day, daily average of new cases dropped to 1,509 on Monday. It was the lowest average number of new cases in a 7-day period since December 1.

The 14-day, daily average of new cases dropped to 1,555 with Monday’s update. It was the lowest 14-day average since the first week in December.

Of the total cases, the state believes approximately 222,812 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.