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Adams County has recorded its first COVID-19 death after a Natchez woman died of the virus at Merit Health Natchez.

Adams County Coroner James Lee said he pronounced the woman dead at approximately 4 a.m. Monday. Lee did not release the name and age of the person who died.

“My heart goes out to her family and loved ones,” Lee said in making the announcement. “The COVID-19 is in our county, and we need to be doing the right things.”

The Mississippi State Department of Health on Monday reported 100 new cases of COVID-19 in Mississippi and eight new deaths.

Monday’s Adams County death will not appear until the paperwork reaches the MSDH.

Up until Monday, Adams County had two deaths reported at Merit Health Natchez but one of the victims was from Wilkinson County and the other lived in Vidalia.

The Mississippi and Louisiana departments of health record COVID-19 deaths by the victims’ places of residence.

In Monday’s statewide report, Adams County’s number of cases remained at 19 with no reported deaths reported in Adams County and one case reported in a long-term care facility.

Statewide, coronavirus cases have also been identified in three more other long-term care facilities across the state. The total of Mississippi’s cases since March 11 now stands at 1,738, with 51 deaths.

Total statewide COVID-19 testing figures as of April 5 are now also available. MSDH, the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and commercial laboratories have performed 20,370 tests of Mississippians since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak.

More details of COVID-19 in the state, along with preventive steps to take against coronavirus, are online at http://HealthyMS.com/covid-19

The Mississippi Coronavirus Hotline is the best way to get your questions about COVID-19 answered. Call any time: 877-978-6453.

Long-term care (LTC) facilities like nursing homes are considered high risk locations because their residents are older or in poor health. Even one case of COVID-19 in these facilities among residents or employees is considered an outbreak. We investigate residents, staff and close contacts of infected individuals for possible exposure.