COVID-19 update
EDITOR’S NOTE: As a service to our readers, The Sentinel-Record publishes updates released each weekday by the city of Hot Springs and the state of Arkansas.
The following stats were shared Monday at Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s daily COVID-19 news conference in Little Rock and posted on the Arkansas Department of Health’s website:
• 28,939 cumulative cases, up
572 from Sunday.
• 389,505 test reports, up 7,103 from Sunday.
• 7.4% rate of infection, no change from Sunday.
• 6,510 active cases, up 55 from Sunday.
• 439 hospitalizations, up 19 from Sunday.
• 89 cases on a ventilator, up seven from Sunday.
• 902 cumulative nursing home residents infected, up 10 from Friday.
• 341 cumulative cases in Garland
County, up nine from Sunday.
• 9,159 test reports for Garland County, up 93 from Sunday.
• 3.7% rate of infection, no change from Sunday.
• 70 active cases in Garland County, up five from Sunday.
• 268 recoveries in Garland County, up four from Sunday.
• Three deaths in Garland County, no change from Sunday.
The 483 new cases reported
over the weekend at the Ouachita River Unit of the Arkansas Department of Correction in Malvern contributed to the more than 12% jump in the state’s rolling seven-day average of new infections.
Friday’s nursing homes and congregate settings report from the Health Department listed 679 cumulative infections and 312 active infections among inmates. Monday’s report listed 1,162 cumulative infections and 793 active infections. Dr. Nate Smith, Health Department secretary, said about a third of Saturday’s single-day record of 1,061 new cases came from the Hot Spring County prison.
The city of Hot Springs is in neighboring Garland County. Monday’s 669.43 average pushed the state’s epidemiological curve to a new peak, topping previous highs of 665 Saturday and 608.14 June 28. The new average included the 572 new cases reported Monday.
“Even though you had a 50% reduction in cases from 1,000 to 500 and some, let me tell you that’s way too high,” Hutchinson said. “We have to get those cases down below that. That is our objective. We’re not happy where that is. We’ve got more work to do.”
Active cases and hospitalizations also reached new peaks Monday. The former had been declining but jumped more than 11% over the weekend, climbing to 6,510 Monday. Active cases have increased almost
700% in two months.
Hospitalizations have risen 60% since the start of the month and more than 600% in two months, reaching Monday’s peak of 439
COVID-19 patients in hospitals. Hutchinson said admissions are spread throughout the state and not straining capacity at any one hospital.
Information he shared Monday showed the Health Department’s Northwest Public Health Region had the most COVID-19 hospitalizations, with about 140 Monday. The central region, which includes Hot Springs, had more than 60.
“I want to assure everyone we have adequate hospital capacity to meet the needs of our citizens, but we don’t want to strain the staff,” Hutchinson said. “We don’t want to put pressure on nonemergent surgeries. We want to be able to continue that.”
Hutchinson said the next few weeks are critical to keeping last weekend’s spike from spurring another steep rise in the state’s curve. The moving average of new infections increased 37% during the week that followed Memorial Day. Two weeks after the holiday the average had increased 86%, and in three weeks it had increased 156%.
“All of Arkansas should sense the urgency, the importance of wearing masks, of social distancing,” he said, noting that personal discipline is key to the state’s plan of starting the 2020-21 school year the week of Aug. 24.
The nine new cases reported Monday in Garland County raised its rolling seven-day average and active cases for a third day in a row. Monday’s 7.57 average was up from Friday’s 5.71 average. Active cases rose from 52 Friday to 70 Monday.