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Coronavirus cases in the state rose by more than 2,000 on Friday, and public health officials say they are concerned about the capacity of hospitals as surges will likely increase about a week after the Christmas holidays.
The number of cases rose to 2,122 on Friday, bringing the total number of active cases to 23,378, according to the Arkansas Department of Health. There were 32 more deaths, bringing the number of deaths from the virus in the state to 3,438.
The state registered 3,204 new cases on Thursday, breaking the record for a one-day increase that had been set a week earlier. The previous record for a one-day increase was the 3,039 cases added on December 17.
Hospitalizations fell from 31 Friday, to 1,062 against 1,093 Thursday.
On Wednesday, a record 1110 hospitalizations were recorded, according to data from the Ministry of Health.
The number of covid patients on ventilators rose from five to 183 on Friday, according to the Department of Health.
[CORONAVIRUS: Click here for our complete coverage » arkansasonline.com/coronavirus]“We have seen a drop in hospitalizations, and new cases are fewer but remain above 2,000,” Governor Asa Hutchinson said in a tweet on Friday evening. “We have a lot to do as a state and a nation in the dying days of 2020 to turn the tide of the virus outbreak.
“It will take all of us,” Hutchinson said.
The state’s cumulative number of cases has increased to 213,267. This includes 178,980 confirmed cases and 34,287 probable cases.
Public health officials said the drop in the number of new cases on Friday likely reflected fewer people being tested due to the holidays and did not necessarily reflect a downward trend.
[Interactive Arkansas map not showing up above? Click here to see it: arkansasonline.com/arvirus]“I don’t know that would represent a downward trend,” said Dr. Jennifer Dillaha, the state’s chief epidemiologist. “This could be the timing of the holidays that would affect the number of people tested.
“I hope the holidays remind people of what is important to them, the people in their lives, and take whatever steps are necessary to prevent the spread of covid-19,” Dillaha said.
On average, it takes around five to six days for infected people to start showing symptoms, so any potential fallout from the Christmas holidays, where people could increase the spread at family reunions and parties, will likely show up in the data in about a week, Dillaha said.
The high number of hospitalizations and deaths “is still of great concern,” Dillaha said.
Among prison and prison inmates, the number of cases in the state has increased by 80.
The Department of Health has documented 1,760 new confirmed cases transmitted by community spread.
The number of people who have been hospitalized in the state with covid-19 increased by 48, to 10,927, on Friday.
Patients infected with the virus who were on ventilators increased from five to 1,171, the health department reported.
Starting this weekend, the health department is hosting covid vaccination clinics statewide for emergency medical workers.
Vaccination events begin today and will continue until Wednesday, Dillaha said.
[EMAIL SIGNUP: Form not appearing above? Click here to subscribe to updates on the coronavirus » arkansasonline.com/coronavirus/email/]
“We’re worried about them because a lot of them are involved in transporting patients and might be in the back of an ambulance, which is a small area that is closed for a while,” Dillaha said. “We can’t wait to get them vaccinated.”
On Monday, more long-term care facilities are expected to start widespread vaccination of residents and employees with the Moderna covid-19 vaccine, which has been prioritized for these facilities due to the number of people at risk who have been exposed to the virus. . in such environments.
The state received an initial round of 51,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine this week.
It will be distributed to long-term care facilities through pharmacies.
Daily coronavirus updates and cumulative cases of Covid-19 in Arkansas
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