Mississippi’s weekly average number of new COVID-19 coronavirus cases dropped Tuesday as the number of cases reported in the last 24 hours dropped significantly, likely related to the Labor Day holiday.

Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) officials reported Tuesday that 704 new coronavirus cases were found in the last 24 hours.

The additional cases reported Tuesday brings the total number of cases found in the state since the pandemic began to 453,348, meaning that more than 15 percent of all Mississippians have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began.

MSDH reported 26 new deaths on Tuesday, bringing the total death toll to 8,685. That was the largest number of deaths reported on a single day. More than half of the deaths reported Tuesday actually occurred in the past with at least 49 occurring in the month of August which were identified through death certificate research, the state reporting.

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, only 39 percent of the total population has been fully vaccinated, nearly the worst in the nation and well below the U.S. average of 52 percent.

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 dropped to 2,337 on Tuesday.

The 14-day, daily average of new cases dropped to 2,592 with Tuesday’s update.

Cumulative Cases and Deaths by County