Numbers show signs of improvement

The omicron surge that began late last year showed signs of relenting Monday, with the state’s infection curve falling for the first time since Dec. 22.

The rolling seven-day average of new cases had risen 25 straight days prior to Monday, peaking 15 days in a row. Active cases fell Monday for the first time since Dec. 26, making Monday the first day in two weeks the state didn’t set a record for active cases.

Garland County’s moving seven-day average fell for the second straight day Monday, retreating after rising more than eight fold from Christmas through Saturday. Its active cases fell for the first time since Dec. 26 after rising more than 800% in three weeks. Monday was the first day in almost a week the county didn’t set a record for active cases.

Dr. Gene Shelby, the county’s health officer, said in the report he submitted Monday to the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force that the last three weeks of statistics were “text book numbers of being in the middle of a highly contagious epidemic.”

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 Monday on the Health Department’s website:

• 684,776 cumulative cases, up 3,600 from Sunday.

• 8,958.14 rolling seven-day average of new cases, up 163.86 from Sunday.

• 4,665,546 PCR test reports, up 10,297 from Sunday.

• 10.6% cumulative PCR infection rate, up from 10.5% Sunday.

• 93,311 active cases, down 3,068 from Sunday.

• 25,985 active juvenile cases, down 474 from Sunday.

• 581,817 recoveries, up 6,665 from Sunday.

• 4,758,970 vaccine doses received, no change from Sunday.

• 3,820,471 doses given, up 1,896 from Sunday.

• 1,420 hospitalizations, up 35 from Sunday.

• 172 cases on ventilators, up four from Sunday.

• 367 ICU patients, down 18 from Sunday.

• 9,437 deaths, up three from Sunday.

• 2,314 nursing home deaths, no change from Sunday.

• 19,055 cumulative cases in Garland County, up 86 from Sunday.

• 175.71 rolling seven-day average of new cases, down 1.58 from Sunday.

• 179,668 PCR and antigen test reports, up 321 from Sunday.

• 11.0% cumulative PCR infection rate, up from 10.9% Sunday.

• 1,802 active cases in Garland County, down 53 from Sunday.

• 16,817 recoveries in Garland County, up 139 from Sunday.

• 436 deaths, no change from Sunday.