Mississippi reported more than 3,000 new cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus and more than 80 deaths on Thursday, but despite the historically high numbers the new cases averages continue to drop, perhaps signaling a slow end to the latest surge.

Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) officials reported Thursday that 3,138 new coronavirus cases were found in the last 24 hours.

The additional cases reported Thursday brings the total number of cases found in the state since the pandemic began to 458,420, meaning that more than 15 percent of all Mississippians have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began.

MSDH reported 83 new deaths on Thursday, bringing the total death toll to 8,870.

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 Wednesday, only 40 percent of the total population has been fully vaccinated, nearly the worst in the nation and well below the U.S. average of 53 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 2,130 on Thursday.

The 14-day, daily average of new cases dropped to 2,468 with Thursday’s update.

Cumulative Cases and Deaths by County