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NATCHEZ — Health department data shows local COVID-19 cases are rising at a rapid rate.

In less than a week, the Mississippi State Department of Health has reported 450 new COVID-19 cases and six new deaths in Adams County.

On Friday, Feb. 4, the Mississippi State Department of Health reported 133 deaths out of 6,554 COVID-19 cases in Adams County, including 91 long-term care facility cases and 19 long-term care facility deaths.

As of Thursday, those numbers have risen to 139 deaths out of 7,004 reported COVID-19 cases, including 92 long-term care facility cases and 20 long-term care facility deaths.

Coroner James Lee said another person from Adams County died with COVID-19 infection on Friday, which makes the first COVID-19 death for the county this month. The patient was a 54-year-old man. No other identifying information was given to protect the family’s privacy.

Lee reported 8 new COVID-19 deaths in January.

“COVID-19 cases are high but falling in the state, while pressure on hospital ICUs remains significant,” MSDH officials said Tuesday.

Between Feb. 1 and 7, 38,855 positive test results were reported in the state and 334 COVID-19-related deaths.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 hospitalizations in the state declined from January’s peak point of 1,708 cases reported on Jan. 26 to 1,074 cases reported on Tuesday, Feb. 8. Merit Health Natchez reported seven COVID-19 patients were hospitalized there as of Tuesday, including five in ICU.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Adams County COVID-19 cases increased by 86.69 percent between Jan. 21, and Feb. 8. with 603 new cases reported within that timeframe. Test positivity within the same period was at 44.85 percent, the CDC reports.

In neighboring Concordia Parish, the CDC reported 151 new cases between Jan. 21, and Feb. 8., which is an increase of 5.59 percent. Test positivity within the same period was at 23.29 percent, the CDC reports.