Over the weekend Mississippi’s total number of COVID-19 coronavirus cases grew by more than 1 percent as the state’s weekly average number of cases climbed to a level not seen since February.

Mississippi State Department of Health officials reported Monday that 3,608 new coronavirus cases were found over the weekend. In the last two weeks, more than 13,000 new cases of the virus have been confirmed in Mississippi, state records show.

The additional cases reported Monday brings the total number of cases found in the state since the pandemic began to 336,788.

The Mississippi State Department of Health reported six new deaths on Friday, bringing the total death toll to 7,508

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.

Through Friday morning, approximately 36% of all Mississippians have received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccines available.

And approximately 32% 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 1,094 on Monday, the highest level since February 4. By comparison, the rate was 193 on July 1, meaning in approximately three weeks the average number of new cases has increased 467 percent since the start of July.

The 14-day, daily average of new cases rose to 853 with Monday’s update.

With the growing case numbers, the state is also reporting large growth in the number of COVID patients requiring hospitalization. Through Thursday (the latest data available on Monday morning) the state showed more than 500 COVID patients in state hospital beds, the highest number since the winter peak.

Cumulative Cases and Deaths by County