STATE SEES

976 covid cases; 18 more deaths reported.

Arkansas health officials reported an additional 976 cases of covid-19 Sunday, down from the 2,543 cases recorded Saturday, according to the Arkansas Department of Health.

Along with another uptick in the total number of cases, an additional 18 people died from the coronavirus Sunday raising the state’s total to 4,311.

The additional cases of covid-19 recorded Sunday brings the state’s total to 271,154 cases, with 24,887 active cases Sunday, a drop of 917 from the previous day.

The number of those hospitalized with the coronavirus is also down with a total of 1,271 people, 21 fewer from the previous day. The number of patients on ventilators increased by seven to 221, according to the Arkansas Department of Health.

Pulaski County still ranked first in the number of new cases of the coronavirus with 195, followed by Benton County with 85 and Washington County with 83. There were 911 cases of community spread and nine news cases at correctional facilities according to the Arkansas Department of Health.

Health officials administered an additional 5,233 doses of covid-19 vaccines from the day before as the state has used 47.6 % of its vaccine dosworking es, according to the Arkansas Department of Health.

The state is set to begin Phase 1B of its vaccination protocol today, with people 70 and older, teachers and school staff members, child care workers and higher education employees eligible to receive the vaccine.