State active virus cases up to 94,266

Currently infectious covid-19 cases in Arkansas topped 90,000 Saturday, an increase of more than 30,000 in a week, according to data from the Arkansas Department of Health.

The state also saw its second-highest number of new cases in one day with 11,596, two days after a record 12,990. The total number of active cases increased to 94,266, according to the Health Department.

Pulaski County had 1,347 new cases Saturday, the fewest in one day since Monday. Benton County had 885 new cases and Washington County had 853, according to department data.

The number of Arkansans hospitalized with covid-19 stood at 1,309 Friday and grew by 48 patients Saturday to 1,357, with 373 in intensive care. Seven fewer patients were on ventilators Saturday, the first drop in a week, totaling 165.

The state recorded 17 new deaths of covid-19, and 9,430 Arkansans have now died of the illness.

To face the “extremely infectious” omicron variant, the dominant variant of the virus in Arkansas, the state has received 1.4 million rapid at-home test kits, including 393,120 that arrived Saturday, Health Department communications director Meg Mirivel said in an email.

Arkansas has now received all but 100,000 of the tests that the state purchased in December with $10 million in grant money from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health Department local health units, public libraries and other locations Monday began distributing the rapid home covid-19 tests for free.

Meanwhile, pharmacies have seen high demand for athome tests. Terry Perkins, the

manager of Medicine Man Pharmacy’s three locations in North Little Rock, said he had to seek out new wholesalers when his usual ones ran out of test kits.

“Over the past two weeks, it’s been dramatic, the num- ber of phone calls we’ve got for it,” Perkins said. “We got some that the Department of Health had, and I’ve been giving those out for free, [but] I don’t have any more of those.”

Although Monday is a state holiday, many Health Department local health units will distribute test kits, and they will close for the day after they run out, Mirivel said.

As of Saturday, private insurance covers the purchase of at-home test kits nationwide.

The Arkansas Department of Health recorded 17,043 PCR test results Saturday, according to the data.

“We hit another record high in PCR tests, and continue to show good work in getting vaccinations with nearly 12,000 doses given,” Gov. Asa Hutchinson tweeted. “We will continue to deliver more athome tests out to community sites around the state.”

Mirivel echoed Hutchinson’s praise for the uptick in PCR test results.

“This shows more people are getting tested either because of symptoms or exposures, and providers are administering tests at a record pace,” she said. “ADH is grateful for all of the health care providers working hard to provide needed tests to their communities.”

The 11,852 vaccine doses administered Saturday were the most given in one day since Dec. 23, 2021, according to Health Department data. Saturday’s doses exceeded Friday’s by 3,775 and Jan. 8 by 1,044.

All three Medicine Man sites have seen a steady stream of people seeking booster shots recently, Perkins said.

“The demand for those hasn’t been overwhelming like it has in the past, but it’s been a steady 10 to 20 people a day,” he said.

Perkins has seen several people receive their first and second vaccinations as well, both at Medicine Man and at Health Department clinics where he has administered shots, he said.

He will be running a clinic for first doses at Utopia Health and Wellness in Little Rock on Tuesday, followed by a second-dose clinic three weeks later, where the health center will be giving away $50 Visa reward cards as incentives for people to get vaccinated, he said.