While this past week saw August become the deadliest month thus far in Warren County during the COVID-19 pandemic, it has also seen the county move farther away from being considered a virus hot spot in the state.

Last Saturday, Warren County reported 56 new cases — a record one-day total — pushing its 14-day total to 250 new cases, a ratio of 512 cases per 100,000 residents. Both those figures were well above the state’s threshold for problem counties and worried many the state might levy harsher restrictions.

Since then, the number of new cases per day has averaged at 12, bringing down the county’s 14-day average. With Saturday’s report by the Mississippi State Department of Health of seven new cases, Warren County’s 14-day totals have fallen to 209 new cases, a ratio of 429 cases per 100,000 residents.

Overall, Warren County has now seen 1,173 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the first local case was reported on March 29. The virus has also killed 37 county residents, five in the past week alone.

As for the state, the daily averages of new cases appears to be leveling off or even declining somewhat, but the pressure on the state’s healthcare infrastructure remains high.

As of Friday, the state reported a total of 1,112 people hospitalized, with 323 in intensive care units. It also reported that 163 patients were on ventilators.

In Saturday’s report, Yazoo County has now confirmed 887 cases during the pandemic, with 14 virus-related deaths. Claiborne County reported 414 cases and 14 deaths. Sharkey County Saturday reported 215 total cases and seven deaths, while Issaquena County reported 27 cases and two deaths.

Louisiana state health officials reported Saturday a total of 631 total cases in Madison Parish, with six deaths thus far.