Mississippi reported more than 2,300 new COVID-19 coronavirus cases on Monday as the state’s top health official declared the state’s “fourth wave” has arrived.

Mississippi State Department of Health officials reported Monday that 2,326 new coronavirus cases were found over the weekend.

The additional cases reported Monday brings the total number of cases found in the state since the pandemic began to 329,130.

“Fourth wave is here,” Mississippi State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs wrote on social media Monday. “Didn’t have to be this way.”

Mississippi health leaders have said that a combination of a low overall vaccination rate among Mississippians along with a rapidly spreading Delta variant is causing the recent surge in cases.

The Mississippi State Department of Health reported three new deaths on Monday, bringing the total death toll to 7,468.

The number of Mississippians hospitalized with the virus have more than doubled in recent weeks.

Through Friday morning, approximately 35% of all Mississippians have received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccines available.

And approximately 31% of Mississippi’s population are fully vaccinated, the state reported.

For more detailed county-by-county vaccination results visit: https://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/resources/12130.pdf

The 7-day, daily average of new cases jumped to 611 on Monday, the highest level since February 18.

The 14-day, daily average of new cases jumped to 496 with Monday’s update, the highest level since March 11.

Cumulative Cases and Deaths by County