A post-Thanksgiving surge in COVID-19 cases has continued in Warren County, as 16 more positive cases were reported Monday by the Mississippi State Department of Health.

The new cases continue to push December toward becoming the worst month thus far in the now 9-month pandemic.

So far in December, Warren County has reported a total of 375 cases and eight virus-related deaths. If the month ended now, it would rank as the third-worst month of the pandemic. Sadly, though, there are 17 days — and 17 reports — remaining in the month.

Over the first 14 days of the month, Warren County has seen an average of 26.8 cases per day, the highest two-week daily average of the pandemic that began in Mississippi on March 11. The first case in Warren County was reported on March 29.

This surge, which was expected by state health officials to hit following the Thanksgiving holiday, has only intensified the strain placed on the state’s health industry. Hospitals across the state — including Merit Health River Region — have seen the number of patients dealing with the virus spike and seen the number of beds available in Intensive Care Units dwindle to near zero.

Since Warren County’s first reported case in late March, the county has seen a total of 2,162 cases and 65 deaths.