Covid cases across region still climbing
Department of Health reports 410 new cases added in SFC last week
More than 2,000 new cases of Covid were diagnosed in this region of the state last week, with 410 of those added in St. Francis County, according to the Arkansas Department of Health.
Since the beginning of this year, SFC has seen an additional 1,307 Covid cases, bringing the county’s total to 6,538 in the almost two years since the pandemic began. At this time last year, 3,248 virus cases had been diagnosed in SFC.
Deaths caused by Covid appear to be slowing, as do vaccinations against the virus.
The ADH reports 74 SFC residents have died from Covid, with one death added this month. At this time last year, the virus had claimed the lives of 31 SFC residents.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that 51.3% of St. Francis County’s population ages five and older are fully vaccinated, which has increased slightly from the 50.5% vaccination rate reported on Jan. 3.
The CDC also shows the community transmission level for the virus is high in SFC, as well as other counties in this region, which include Cross, Lee, Phillips, Crittenden, Monroe and Woodruff counties. The CDC encourages people to wear a mask in public, indoor settings.
Throughout the region 7,096 new virus cases have been diagnosed this month, bringing that total to 34,050.
One year ago, there were 14,572 virus cases reported throughout the region. The 34,050 reported today represents an increase of 19,478 cases over the past year.
Nine new deaths this month have been attributed to the virus, bringing the death toll throughout the region to 523 since March 2020. In addition to the one death reported in SFC, one each was reported in Cross and Phillips counties, two in Monroe County and five in Crittenden County. At this time last year, 231 virus deaths were reported throughout the region.
Crittenden County, the largest in this region, saw its new Covid cases increase by 583 last week. There were 364 new cases last week in Cross County, 259 in Phillips County, 147 each in Monroe and Woodruff counties, and 114 in Lee County.
The vaccination rate for residents in the region for ages five and over ranges from a low of 34.1% in Lee County to a high of 58.3% in Woodruff County.
The ADH also reports that 29,814 people in the region have recovered from Covid, which is an increase of 5,088 this month. According to the ADH, last week 10,242 tests for the virus in this region were negative, bringing that total to 242,209 since March 2020.