Cases trend lower after last week’s surge

The state is bracing for a third wave of new infections, but Gov. Asa Hutchinson said he’s hopeful the surge won’t be as steep or high as those that developed last winter and this summer.

“It looks like we’re getting ready for a third wave, but the question is how high a wave is it?” he said Tuesday at his weekly press briefing. “How is the wave going to impact hospitalizations, and those are the unknown criteria.

“You see the current wave that’s increasing across the United States. Arkansas is pushing back on it as best we can with emphasis on vaccinations. At this point, it looks like it’s starting that third wave. Hopefully, it will be much flatter than the previous waves.”

The infection curve fell for a second straight day Wednesday after seven consecutive days of increases. Hospitalizations fell for the second time in 13 days but are up 41% since Thanksgiving.

“I’m encouraged by the fact that with the vaccination rate I have some level of confidence we’re going to be able to keep the hospitalizations down and we’re going to be much lower in terms of where we’re going to be in the winter months,” Hutchinson said.

Garland County’s infection curve was up slightly Wednesday, but its rolling seven-day average of new cases has been in the single digits for more than six weeks.

As a service to our readers, The Sentinel-Record publishes updates released by the city of Hot Springs and the state of Arkansas.

The Arkansas Department of Health is no longer reporting confirmed and probable cases separately. The following stats were posted Wednesday on the Health Department’s website:

• 535,450 cumulative cases, up 860 from Tuesday.

• 811.71 rolling seven-day average of new cases, down 10 from Tuesday.

• 4,281,727 PCR test reports, up 7,743 from Tuesday.

• 9.1% cumulative PCR infection rate, no change from Tuesday.

• 7,542 active cases, up 128 from Tuesday.

• 1,715 active juvenile cases, up 66 from Tuesday.

• 518,948 recoveries, up 712 from Tuesday.

• 4,381,170 vaccine doses received, up 14,170 from Tuesday.

• 3,505,362 doses given, up 13,255 from Tuesday.

• 440 hospitalizations, down 16 from Tuesday.

• 80 cases on ventilators, down five from Tuesday.

• 177 ICU patients, down five from Tuesday.

• 8,796 deaths, up 20 from Tuesday.

• 2,279 nursing home deaths, no change from Tuesday.

• 16,245 cumulative cases in Garland County, up seven from Tuesday.

• 8.71 rolling seven-day average of new cases, down 0.42 from Tuesday.

• 167,047 PCR and antigen test reports, up 298 from Tuesday.

• 10.1% cumulative PCR infection rate, no change from Tuesday.

• 74 active cases in Garland County, up four from Tuesday.

• 15,766 recoveries in Garland, up three from Tuesday.

• 405 deaths, no change from Tuesday.