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:
• 256,864 cumulative confirmed cases, up 345 from Thursday.
• 214.14 rolling seven-day average of new confirmed cases, down 11 from Thursday.
• 2,768,216 PCR test reports, up 8,292 from Thursday.
• 9.3% cumulative PCR infection rate, no change from Thursday.
• 69,635 cumulative probable cases, up 114 from Thursday.
• 16.8% cumulative antigen infection rate, no change from Thursday.
• 3,158 active confirmed and probable cases, up 14 from Thursday.
• 1,217,310 vaccine doses received, up 8,010 from Thursday.
• 743,791 doses given, up 18,815 from Thursday.
• 259 hospitalizations, down 19 from Thursday.
• 64 cases on a ventilator, down three from Thursday.
• 118 ICU patients, down seven from Thursday.
• 4,352 confirmed deaths, up 10 from Thursday.
• 1,085 probable deaths, up 17 from Thursday.
• 2,015 nursing home deaths, up three from Thursday.
• 8,345 cumulative confirmed cases in Garland County, up 36 from Thursday.
• 14.43 rolling seven-day average of new confirmed cases, 1.26 from Thursday.
• 106,730 PCR and antigen test reports, up 331 from Thursday.
• 80,862 private lab reports, up 298 from Thursday.
• 25,868 public lab reports, up 33 from Thursday.
• 8.9% cumulative PCR infection rate, no change from Thursday.
• 105 active confirmed cases in Garland County, up 11 from Thursday.
• 8,043 recoveries of confirmed cases in Garland County, up 25 from Thursday.
• 1,581 cumulative probable cases in Garland County, down two from Thursday.
• 18 active probable cases in Garland County, down 5 from Thursday.
• 197 confirmed deaths, no change from Thursday.
• 44 probable deaths, up one from Thursday.
The more than 30 new polymerase chain reaction-confirmed cases reported Friday in Garland County were the thirdmost in the state and the most reported in the county in two weeks.
The 36 new PCR-confirmed cases reported in the county Friday raised the rolling seven-day average of new confirmed cases 10%. Despite the rise, the average remained below 20. It hasn’t risen above 20 since last month. The moving average peaked at 110.71 Jan. 11.
The 345 new PCR-confirmed cases reported statewide Friday were the most this week, but the state’s rolling seven-day average of new confirmed cases fell 5%.
State and federal vaccination programs injected more than 100,000 doses in the last seven days, surpassing the critical mass the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences said is needed for long-term benefit.
“Sixty-day projections also will be affected by the speed of public vaccinations,” the report UAMS issued earlier this week with its updated predictive model “If vaccinations are rolled out quickly, approximately 100,000 vaccinations a week, it will make a significant difference in the long-term trajectory of COVID-19 cases.”
The report said vaccinations won’t significantly affect the state’s pandemic until next month, at the earliest.
“Slower growth is again likely due in part to the recent inclement weather, which has acted as a de facto stay-at-home order, and lowered testing rates,” The report said. “We do not expect current vaccination programs in the state to have a significant impact on COVID-19 transmission until at least mid-April, if not later.”