Warren County has now seen its worst week of the COVID-19 pandemic since late August. Over the past seven days, the county has reported 8.3 new cases per day.

Saturday, Warren County reported 16 new cases, pushing the total number of cases reported in Warren County since the start of the pandemic began to 1,707. Saturday’s report was also the third consecutive day Warren County has seen 10 or more cases. The last time that happened was also in late August.

Local health officials told The Post late last week that they had seen an increase in the number of residents seeking tests than in previous weeks.

At the same time Warren County has seen a slight surge in its numbers, Mississippi as a whole has seen unwanted records as daily case numbers have continued to spike. Saturday, health officials reported 1,972 new cases; a one-day record.

All of this comes as health officials are nervous about a bigger surge that may result from travel and family gatherings connected to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Locally, the city of Vicksburg has put in place a special holiday mask mandate that requires masks be work both indoors and outdoors beginning Thanksgiving day and continuing through midnight Sunday.

The mask mandate would require masks be worn by anyone entering a business or public building and require they be worn outdoors during gatherings where social distancing is not possible.

The surge in new case numbers has also stressed the state’s health industry. The number of people hospitalized with the virus and those with suspected infection has reached levels close to the peaks during the summer. Locally, officials at Merit Health River Region said all of the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit beds are full with three patients on ventilators.

The Vicksburg Police Department experienced its first outbreak among personnel as six members of the department tested positive. Operations at Vicksburg Municipal Court were also shut down last week after members of the court staff tested positive.

Vicksburg Municipal Judge Angela Carpenter said some court proceedings were done virtually and expected that normal court proceedings would resume Monday.