ACTIVE COVID cases in state down by 43.

Active cases of covid-19 in the state decreased by 43 on Sunday after Saturday’s active-case number was the highest seen in the state in 47 days, according to the Arkan- sas Department of Health.

Active cases were down to 2,223, which is nearly 500 more than the state had at this time in April.

“Fewer new cases from last week and a decline in active cases in today’s report are a good sign, but we must keep doing our part,” Gov. Asa Hutchinson said on social media Sunday afternoon. “Sched- ule your vaccine this week or check with the Department of Health for a Strike Team clinic in your community.”

On Sunday, the department reported that another 5,189 vaccine doses had been given. Another 3,111 Arkansans had received a full course of covid-19 vaccinations, bringing the total to 806,900.

Total cases of covid-19 since March 2020 increased by 95, to 337,510.

The Health Department reported that 166 Arkansans were hospitalized with covid-19 Sunday, three more than on Saturday. Of those patients, 36 were on ventilators, two fewer than the day before.

The state’s death toll from the coronavirus rose by one, to 5,761.

Pulaski County had the most new cases, with 20, followed by Washington County with 17 and Lonoke County with eight. Four confirmed new cases were from correctional facilities and 68 were from community spread, according to Sunday’s update.

Testing for the virus this month lags behind numbers from April. So far in May, 31,508 tests have been given in Arkansas, with 2,154 more reported Sunday. This time last month, more than 40,930 tests had been given.