State infection curve continues to decline

The state’s infection curve fell for the 15th straight day Wednesday and has fallen 78% from its Jan. 16 peak.

Wednesday’s rolling seven-day average of new cases was still 142% higher than the Dec. 23 average, the point of departure for the 25 days of consecutive increases that resulted in a 10-fold rise in the infection curve.

“(Wednesday’s) report continues the trend we’ve seen for the past few weeks,” Gov. Asa Hutchinson tweeted Wednesday. “New cases remain lower than the previous week. We’ll discuss these trends and the latest COVID information during my weekly briefing (today) at 1:30 p.m.”

Hospitalizations fell for the 14th straight day Wednesday and have fallen 27% from the Jan. 26 peak.

The 82 new cases reported Wednesday in Garland County were the most reported in almost a week, but the county’s infection curve fell for the sixth straight day. Wednesday’s 97.71 rolling seven-day average marked the first time the average was below 100 in almost five weeks.

The county’s active case count fell for the sixth straight day and has fallen 68% from its Jan. 16 peak.

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:

• 800,373 cumulative cases, up 2,337 from Tuesday.

• 2,051.86 rolling seven-day average of new cases, down 325.28 from Tuesday.

• 4,877,858 PCR test reports, up 7,159 from Tuesday.

• 11.6% cumulative PCR infection rate, no change from Tuesday.

• 27,063 active cases, down 3,238 from Tuesday.

• 5,383 active juvenile cases, down 579 from Tuesday.

• 763,146 recoveries, up 5,543 from Tuesday.

• 4,965,990 vaccine doses received, up 8,300 from Tuesday.

• 3,907,091 doses given, up 2,895 from Tuesday.

• 1,323 hospitalizations, down 36 from Tuesday.

• 191 cases on ventilators, down five from Tuesday.

• 399 ICU patients, down 15 from Tuesday.

• 9,927 deaths, up 32 from Tuesday.

• 2,335 nursing home deaths, up one from Tuesday.

• 22,022 cumulative cases in Garland County, up 82 from Tuesday.

• 97.71 rolling seven-day average of new cases, down 8.15 from Tuesday.

• 188,027 PCR and antigen test reports, up 278 from Tuesday.

• 12.0% cumulative PCR infection rate, no change from Tuesday.

• 585 active cases in Garland County, down 31 from Tuesday.

• 20,989 recoveries in Garland County, up 112 from Tuesday.

• 448 deaths, up one from Tuesday.