COVID-19 UPDATE
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 Friday on the Arkansas Department of Health website:
• 202,742 cumulative confirmed cases, up 2,211 from Thursday.
• 1,881.86 rolling seven-day average of new confirmed cases, down 82 from Thursday.
• 2,142,739 PCR test reports, up 13,507 from Thursday.
• 9.5% cumulative PCR infection rate, up from 9.4% Thursday.
• 190,100 vaccine doses received, up 20,475 from Thursday.
• 65,991 doses given, up 7,077 from Thursday.
• 46,118 cumulative probable cases, up 733 from Thursday.
• 19.4% cumulative antigen infection rate, down from 19.5% Thursday.
• 27,290 active confirmed and probable cases, up 1,306 from Thursday.
• 217,578 recoveries of confirmed and probable cases, up 1,596 from Thursday.
• 1,342 hospitalizations, up 16 from Thursday.
• 219 cases on a ventilator, up one from Thursday.
• 439 ICU admissions, up 12 from Thursday.
• 3,304 confirmed deaths, up 31 from Thursday.
• 662 probable deaths, up nine from Thursday.
• 1,621 nursing home deaths, up 16 from Thursday.
• 5,585 cumulative confirmed cases in Garland County, up 35 from Thursday.
• 73.57 rolling seven-day average of new confirmed cases, down 5.29 from Thursday.
• 70,175 PCR and antigen test reports, up 305 from Thursday.
• 50,265 private lab reports, up 294 from Thursday.
• 19,910 public lab reports, up 11 from Thursday.
• 8.8% cumulative PCR infection rate, up from 8.7% Thursday.
• 632 active confirmed cases in Garland County, down 27 from Thursday.
• 4,813 recoveries of confirmed cases in Garland County, up 61 from Thursday.
• 985 cumulative probable cases in Garland County, up 15 from Thursday.
• 227 active probable cases in Garland County, down six from Thursday.
• 140 confirmed deaths, up one from Thursday.
• 26 probable deaths, up one from Thursday.
Garland County’s surge of new infections abated Friday, with the rolling seven-day average of new confirmed cases falling for the first time since Jan. 2.
The 35 new confirmed cases reported Friday ended four consecutive days of peaks in the county’s infection curve and three consecutive days of 100 or more new polymerase chain reaction confirmed infections.
The state’s infection curve also stabilized Friday, climbing down from a three-day rise that pushed the rolling seven-day average of new confirmed cases to a new peak each day. The 2,211 new confirmed cases reported Friday replaced the
2,785 reported the previous Friday. “Today’s report has 1,360 fewer cases than this time last week with higher testing,” Gov. Asa Hutchinson, referring to the 2,944 new confirmed and probable cases reported Friday, said in a news release. “This good news is overshadowed by the loss of an additional 40 of our friends and neighbors. We all have a responsibility to our friends and neighbors to help slow the spread, and I hope you’ll join me as we continue to fight this invisible enemy.”
Hutchinson said in his weekly address that more than a third of the more than 190,000 doses the state has received has been given to health care workers, nursing home residents and staff and first responders. Speaking in a nationally televised interview, he said the second phase of vaccinations that’s scheduled to start next month will challenge distribution networks.
“We’re logistically gearing up to be ready for that so we can get it out to those 70 and over and many other categories, including teachers,” he said. “When you have limited supply, there’s going to be challenges. We have to prioritize and allocate.”
He said a large percentage of health care workers have put off getting vaccinated.
“The compliance is growing, but among health care workers, it actually was surprising that up to
30% in some hospitals said we’ll wait,” he said. “Well waiting is not a good idea, because we’re going to move to another priority. Many others are waiting in line.
“The compliance is increasing day by day as the confidence builds. I don’t expect that in the long term to be a problem.”