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NATCHEZ — Both the Adams County Tax Collector and the Adams County Tax Assessors’ offices have been closed due to potential COVID-19 exposure, an Adams County official said.

Both offices were closed to the public as of Wednesday at least through Monday pending the results of COVID-19 tests, said Scott Slover, Adams County Board of Supervisors attorney.

The news comes as Mississippi reached its highest single-day confirmed COVID-19 cases record Monday with 2,457 new cases, the Mississippi State Department of Health reported Tuesday.

The state also recorded 15 deaths on Monday. Thursday’s statewide reported numbers were almost as high with 2,168 confirmed cases and 28 deaths.

“The prior peak was set on Nov. 20 with 1,972 cases,” said Norma Williams, volunteer statistician. “The new peak is 485 cases higher or a 24.6% increase over the prior peak.”

Williams also notes that the report shows Adams County had 25 new cases reported on Monday, “which matches the single day peak of 25 cases set on Aug. 22.”

Adams County has recorded 52 COVID-19 deaths since the pandemic began in March, and revised total cases since the start of the pandemic is 1,472 for Adams County as of Monday, Williams said. 

On Thursday, Adams County’s overall confirmed COVID numbers rose to 1,483 and the death toll remained at 52.

Adams County Coroner James Lee reports that 11 people from Adams County died of COVID-19 in the month of November.

“Please take care and try to stay safe to stay well,” Williams said.

Adams County Emergency Management officials said Adams County had 144 active COVID-19 cases as of Monday.

MSDH reported Monday that Merit Health Natchez had 20 patients with confirmed COVID-19 cases and six of the hospital’s eight ICU beds were occupied.

Hospital officials said those numbers fluctuate as patients check in and out and that the hospital can accommodated all patients regardless of their medical needs.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves added Adams County to the state’s mandatory mask policy along with 12 other counties on Monday.

The 12 other counties under mask mandate with Adams County are Quitman, Jefferson, Franklin, Noxubee, Kemper, Amite, Coahoma, Sunflower, Scott, Oktibbeha, Monroe and Washington counties.