COVID-19 update
EDITOR’S NOTE: As a service to our readers, The Sentinel-Record publishes updates released by the city of Hot Springs and the state of Arkansas.
The following stats were posted Thursday on the Arkansas Department of Health website:
• 81,531 cumulative confirmed cases, up 921 from Wednesday.
• 693.57 rolling seven-day average of new confirmed cases, down 15.57 from Wednesday.
• 1,042,616 PCR test reports, up 12,899 from Wednesday.
• 7.8% cumulative PCR infection rate, no change from Wednesday.
• 3,290 cumulative probable cases, up 203 from Wednesday.
• 29.9% cumulative antigen infection rate, up from 28.9% Wednesday.
• 7,244 confirmed and probable active cases, up 235 from Wednesday.
• 485 hospitalizations, down five from Wednesday.
• 1,238 confirmed deaths, up 15 from Wednesday.
• 146 probable deaths, no change from Wednesday.
• 92 cases on a ventilator, down one from Wednesday.
• 1,947 cumulative confirmed cases in Garland County, up 27 from Wednesday.
• 23.14 rolling seven-day average of new confirmed cases, down 0.29 from Wednesday.
• 33,334 PCR and antigen test reports for Garland County, up
659 from Wednesday.
• 26,416 private lab reports, up 161 from Wednesday.
• 6,918 public lab reports, up
498 from Wednesday.
• 5.8% cumulative PCR infection rate, down from 5.9% Wednesday.
• 169 active confirmed cases in Garland County, up two from Wednesday.
• 1,730 recoveries of confirmed cases in Garland County, up 25 from Wednesday.
• 48 confirmed deaths in Garland County, no change from Wednesday.
• Five probable deaths in Garland County, no change from Wednesday.
The list of public school districts with five or more active confirmed and probable student and staff cases the Health Department updated Thursday included three Garland County districts.
The 15 cases listed for Lake Hamilton were the sixth most in the state. Monday’s report listed 13 cases, which were tied for the sixth most.
Thursday’s report listed five cases each in the Hot Springs and Lakeside districts. Hot Springs’ website reported six active student cases and three active staff cases. Lakeside’s reported eight active student cases and 52 students in quarantine. Lake Hamilton doesn’t post case updates on its website until the end of the school week.
The Health Department’s Thursday update showed 698 active cases in public schools, down from the 717 reported in Monday’s update. The University of Arkansas at Fayetteville had 89 active cases, down from the 116 reported in Monday’s update. Earlier updates reported more than 400 cases on the Fayetteville campus.
Ouachita Baptist University had 21 active cases, down from the 17 reported Monday. Henderson State University had nine active cases, up from the seven reported Monday.
The 921 new confirmed cases reported statewide Thursday lowered the state’s infection curve for a third-straight day. Thursday’s 693.57 average was 4% lower than the previous Thursday’s. The 1,030 confirmed cases, the third highest daily total since the pandemic began, reported Sept. 24 fell outside of Thursday’s seven- day average.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson released the following statement on Thursday’s case numbers.
“I never like the increase in cases, but I am encouraged by fewer hospitalized, the increased testing and the decline of active cases in K-12 and colleges. There were over 12,000 PCR and antigen tests yesterday, which is a record for our daily reporting. This high testing volume is vital to our efforts to slow the spread of this virus. Remember, we all have to be disciplined and serious about COVID-19.”
The 27 new confirmed cases reported in Garland County Thursday were the county’s highest daily total of the week. One confirmed death of a county resident has been reported this week.