Bella Vista sees record 135 new covid-19 cases

BELLA VISTA — The city saw 135 covid-19 cases in the week ending Dec. 21, bringing the total to 863, according to data reported by the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement.

This is the highest single-week increase the city has seen since the health policy center started reporting case numbers by city in August 2020. The previous highest single-week increase was 93 cases for the week ending Dec. 7.

Nearby Bentonville saw a 337-case increase in the same period, bringing its total to 2,475 cases, while Rogers reached 6,245 total cases, or 8% of the city’s population, after a 718-case increase.

The Arkansas Department of Health reports 13,467 cases for Benton County as a whole, with 198 deaths and 11,966 recoveries as of Dec. 27.

In nearby Washington County, the department reports 16,643 total confirmed cases with 184 deaths and 15,126 recoveries.

Across the state line, the McDonald County Health Department reports 1,926 total cases as of Dec. 26, 11 new that day, with 25 deaths and four patients still hospitalized.

Nationwide, the CDC reports 18,909,910 total confirmed cases, 179,104 of which were new, with 330,901 deaths as of 2:05 p.m. Dec. 27.

The first shipment of covid-19 vaccines arrived in Arkansas on Dec. 14 and weekly shipments are expected.

City offices remain closed until February 2021.

A mask mandate issued by Gov. Asa Hutchinson on July 20 remains in effect, though Hutchinson has ceased providing daily updates, citing improvements in informational channels available to the public.

The mandate, issued via executive order, requires individuals to wear masks in indoor and outdoor settings where individuals are likely to come within 6 feet of non-household members or potentially face a fine of $100 to $500.