Diagnosed Covid cases on decline throughout region

CDC: SFC vaccination rate 53.6%

The number of Covid cases diagnosed in St. Francis County this month has declined, according to the Arkansas Department of Health.

The agency’s report shows that 58 new cases of the virus were diagnosed in the county during November, which was the first time new cases fell below 60 since June when 41 new cases were diagnosed during the month. To date, 4,883 Covid cases have been diagnosed in SFC.

Since the beginning of this year, 49 SFC residents have died from Covid, bringing the county’s total to 69 since the beginning of the pandemic. Two county residents died from the virus in November.

Throughout this seven-county region, which also includes Lee, Cross, Monroe, Phillips, Woodruff and Crittenden counties, 18 virus deaths were reported in November, with 10 of those in Crittenden County. Also during the month, three people died from the virus in Lee County, two in Cross County and one in Monroe County. No new deaths were reported in Phillips and Woodruff counties.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 53.6% of SFC’s residents ages 12 and over are fully vaccinated against the virus.

Woodruff County has the highest vaccination rate in the region at 61.6%, for the 12 and over category.

Lee and Crittenden are the only counties in the region where the vaccination rate is below 50%. In Lee County, 35% of the eligible population is fully vaccinated, and in Crittenden County that rate is 48.2%.

Counties where over half of the eligible population is vaccinated include Cross, 56.6%; Monroe, 59.4%; Phillips, 55% and Woodruff 61.6%.

The community transmission level for SFC continues to be considered moderate by the CDC, which is the same designation the agency has applied to Cross and Phillips counties.

Monroe County is the only county in the region where the community transmission level is considered low by the CDC, which is the lowest ranking assessed by the agency for transmission. The CDC considers the Covid transmission level high in Woodruff and Lee counties, while it is substantial in Crittenden County.

New cases and virus deaths are not the only numbers declining.

In November, 506 people recovered from the virus throughout the region. By comparison, in October, virus recoveries were reported at 1,102.

Testing appears to be declining as well. In November, 7,993 tests for the virus were conducted throughout the seven counties, which fell from 14,071 tests in October. Since the pandemic began, 219,417 Covid tests have been performed in this region.