A Mississippi child under the age of 5 has died as a result of COVID-19 coronavirus infection, the state reported Wednesday afternoon.

The child was the sixth pediatric case the state has recorded since the pandemic began in March 2020. Two of those children died in 2020 and four have died in 2021.

Three of those deaths were in children aged 11 to 17. One child age 6 to 10 years old died. With the latest death now two deaths in children under age 5 have occurred.

Mississippi State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers said the state has seen an increasing number of pediatric patients with COVID-19.

“With that increasing case numbers, we’re going to continue to see increased hospitalizations and, unfortunately, some children that will require more intensive care,” he said.

Byers said though the state’s case numbers may have leveled slightly over the last couple of days, he said the state is not out of the record-breaking surge yet.

“It’s still bad,” Byers said. “We’re still seeing high numbers in the intensive care units.