The Mississippi State Department of Health Friday announced that the state has received a new supply of COVID-19 vaccine, which will allow the state health department to offer more appointments for the vaccine beginning Jan. 25.
“The additional allotments will support ongoing vaccination appointments at drive-through sites next week and allow for a modest amount of doses to be shared with community partners,” according to the MSDH news release. “The additional vaccine will be distributed to community partners in a manner that seeks to address both geographic and racial disparities.”
MSDH anticipates that it will have additional drive through appointments, in more locations, the week of Jan. 25 based on vaccine forecasted to be available at the end of next week.
MSDH anticipates steady vaccine supply to support scheduled vaccine appointments at drive-through clinics, and second doses will be available for all persons who have already received a first dose.
“The anticipated arrival of significantly more vaccines in February is in addition to the steady, modest supply that we are currently receiving weekly,” MSDH stated in its information.
Friday, MSDH reported 2,342 additional cases of coronavirus up until 6 p.m. Thursday, and 55 additional related-death reports.
The total number of cases reported in Mississippi is now at 248,189 and the total number of deaths reported is now at 5,411.
DeSoto County has reported an additional 124 cases and three added coronavirus-related deaths. The county now has reported 16,841 cases and 171 deaths from coronavirus-related causes. The three additional deaths came in the period of Jan. 3-14.
The 124 added cases is 34 more than the 90 additional cases DeSoto County reported to the MSDH on Thursday, when the county also reported four additional deaths.
There are 220 active outbreaks in Mississippi long-term care facilities, MSDH reported. DeSoto County has recorded a total, since the pandemic began of 111 LTC outbreaks and there have been 22 deaths from the virus in LTC facilities.
Friday’s report on hospital availability shows 16 beds available at Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto but no ICU beds. There are 77 COVID-19 patients at Baptist-DeSoto and 13 of the hospital’s 36 ICU beds have coronavirus patients.
There are two available beds amond Methodist-Olive Branch Hospital’s 41 staffed hospital beds and two available ICU beds. Methodist-Olive Branch reported 19 coronavirus patients in its 41 staffed beds and six COVID-19 patients in its 10 ICU beds at the Olive Branch hospital.
The Centers for Disease Control has a data tracker for the entire nation. The Mississippi State Department of Health has its latest information available on its website.
