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NATCHEZ — Natchez city officials and volunteers distributed approximately 1,800 free face masks to residents in a drive thru event Saturday at First Baptist Church of Natchez.

Brian Marvel, community liaison for the Natchez mayor’s office, said volunteers, including Tanya Fisher and Carolyn Slack Myles along with city and county officials, including interim Fire Chief Dave Freeman and Adams County Emergency Management Agency Community Liaison Neifa Hardy, distributed three masks per vehicle from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. Saturday.

Marvel said the city wanted to help people try to curb the spread of COVID-19 over the long holiday weekend by distributing the free masks.

Adams County’s numbers as of Sunday’s statewide report stood at 823 confirmed COVID-19 cases and the death toll remains at 32 since the pandemic began in March.

Mississippi’s total COVID-19 cases since March 11 now stands at 86,888 with 2,584 deaths.

Adams County had 96 active COVID-19 cases as of Tuesday, according to the Adams County Emergency Management Office.

Last week, volunteer statistician Norma Williams told city leaders during Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson’s weekly “COVID Currents” meeting that Mississippi had the third highest per capita COVID-19 infection rate behind Louisiana and Florida.

Local officials stressed the importance of maintaining social distance, avoiding crowds, handwashing and mask wearing throughout the Labor Day weekend to help curtail the spread of COVID-19.