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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.

“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.

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

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.

“The state health department said Tuesday that Mississippi, with a population of about 3 million, has reported more than 154,400 coronavirus cases and at least 3,836 deaths from COVID-19 as of Monday evening,” The Associated Press reports. “That’s an increase of 1,141 cases and 29 deaths from the day before. Twenty-five deaths that occurred between Nov. 24 and Nov. 30 were identified through death certificates.