The number of people hospitalized with covid-19 in Arkansas jumped to a new high, topping 1,000, Wednesday as the state's tally of cases rose by almost 2,000.
The state's death toll from the virus, as tracked by the state Department of Health, rose by 20, to 2,425.
"While we express our thanks across the state in smaller groups than normal years, I am more grateful than ever for the dedication of our health care workers," Gov. Asa Hutchinson said in a statement on the day's numbers.
"The new hospitalizations today adds to the burden, and let's all go the extra mile to protect each other."
At record levels since Sunday, the number of people hospitalized in the state with the virus increased by 40, to 1,028.
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The number of covid-19 patients who were in intensive care units and on ventilators also both set records Wednesday.
The number of patients who were in intensive care units rose by 13, to 400.
That left just 75 of the state's 1,139 intensive care unit beds available for new patients.
The number of patients who were on ventilators rose by 31, to 191.
An additional 635 of the state's 1,061 ventilators remained available Wednesday.
State Epidemiologist Jennifer Dillaha called the numbers "pretty sobering."
"The number of hospitalizations is way up, and that's very disturbing," she said.
She said she worried that Thanksgiving gatherings would contribute to the spread of the virus, pushing the number of hospitalized patients up further.
"It's going to be really important for everyone to do everything they can to prevent spread," she said.
A total of 2,388 hospital beds across the state remained available to new patients, although that number includes psychiatric and rehabilitation beds that are not used for covid-19 patients.
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ACTIVE CASES FALL
Although smaller than Tuesday's increase of 2,122 cases, the cases added to the state's tallies Wednesday were more than the 1,715 added the previous Wednesday.
Already at a record level since Tuesday, the average number of cases added to the state's count each day over a rolling seven-day period rose Wednesday by 36, to 1,809.
The cases added to the state's tallies Wednesday included 1,423 that were confirmed through polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, tests.
The other 542 were "probable" cases, which include those identified through less-sensitive antigen tests.
The state's cumulative count of cases rose to 150,277.
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That comprised 132,249 confirmed cases and 18,028 probable ones.
The number of cases that were considered active fell by 43, to 17,014, as 1,987 Arkansans were newly classified as having recovered.
Pulaski County had the highest number of new confirmed or probable cases, 185, followed by Washington County, which had 145, Benton County, which had 121, Craighead County, which had 101, and Sebastian County, which had 99.
Among prison and jail inmates, the state's count of virus cases rose by 76.
The state's death toll rose by 19, to 2,227, among confirmed cases and by one, to 198, among probable cases.
The count of virus deaths among nursing home and assisted living facility residents rose by 11, to 1,026.
GOVERNOR'S PLANS
With covid infections soaring in Arkansas and across much of the country, the Health Department and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommended against people traveling for Thanksgiving this year or gathering in large groups.
For people who do join others for the holiday, the two government agencies have recommended taking precautions such as wearing masks and holding small gatherings outdoors.
In his statement, Hutchinson said he went to Rogers for the holiday.
"I drove up to Rogers for Thanksgiving, and I stopped in Ozark," Hutchinson said. "Everyone is clearly taking things seriously and working hard to follow the health guidelines. Thank you to all Arkansans for your continued diligence."
Asked how his Thanksgiving plans squared with public health officials' recommendations, Hutchinson said the gathering would be small.
"I am traveling to my personal residence, and we are hosting in our residence fewer than 5 of my immediate family," Hutchinson said in a statement in response to a question from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
"There is plenty of space for social distancing, and we usually spend time outside throwing the football."
Dillaha said she didn't know yet how well Arkansans were adhering to public health officials' recommendations for the holiday.
"I have heard a number of people staying home and not traveling, and I know some people have modified their plans," Dillaha said.
"They're cooking Thanksgiving dinner and their relatives are coming to pick them up and take them home and eat [the food] at a separate location.
"So I know that there are people out there making such plans. It's hard for me to know how widespread that is and whether the travel that people are doing is -- if they're really going to be able to do that safely enough to prevent spread."
SCHOOL CASES
Schools planning for a possible post-Thanksgiving surge in coronavirus cases include the Alma School District, which told parents Monday that school doors will be open but in-person attendance will be optional next Monday to Wednesday.
"We're doing it to try to get in front of having a big increase in possible close contact students who have to be quarantined," said Alma Superintendent David Woolly.
The idea is that those who catch the coronavirus over Thanksgiving will be more likely to know to stay home by Thursday of next week, Woolly said. He said he wants to try to avoid having students unaware that they've caught the virus returning Monday and possibly coming into close contact with other students.
The district and many others in the state are already dealing with large numbers of students out because of the pandemic, including many in quarantine after coming in close contact with people testing positive for covid-19.
The final state Health Department report before the Thanksgiving holiday showed an uptick in positive covid-19 cases in the state's public school districts, with active cases rising to 2,177 from 2,161 listed in Monday's report.
The totals are down from last week but still more than double the number of active cases reported in public schools at the beginning of the month.
Health officials have warned that gatherings over Thanksgiving could lead to increases in case totals, pleading for families to avoid large indoor gatherings where the coronavirus can spread easily from person-to-person.
Case totals, quarantines or staffing shortages have forced many school districts in the state to pivot to virtual instruction, but the Alma School District has not reached that point this fall, Woolly said.
Yet the district has 193 students in quarantine or isolation because of the coronavirus, Woolly said. The district this fall has made attendance optional on Wednesdays to have teachers focus on delivering instruction to students learning remotely, Woolly said.
Teachers and staff members will report to school for the first three days of next week, but, by making attendance optional, Woolly said he thinks that perhaps 20%-25% of students will show up, a number that makes it easier to ensure social distancing takes place.
"Districts are trying all kinds of things to make this work as best as possible," Woolly said.
The state Health Department report Wednesday showed that the number of active cases at colleges and universities decreased to 633 from Monday's 660 active case total.
The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville on Wednesday reported its active cases increasing to 92, a total that includes 79 students, 10 staff members and three faculty members. UA on Monday reported having 80 active cases.
