Arkansas saw a decline in the number of new covid-19 cases reported on Sunday compared with previous days, with 488 new confirmed and probable cases, but hospitalizations rose to their highest level in approximately six weeks after 28 additional people were admitted to medical facilities.
According to the Arkansas Department of Health, 509 people were hospitalized because of covid-19 as of Sunday, the most since Aug. 21, when the same number of people were hospitalized.
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The death toll increased to 1,425 in light of 18 newly reported deaths, all of them among confirmed cases.
Of the new cases reported Sunday, 455 were classified as confirmed and 33 were classified as probable.
"A decrease in new cases is encouraging, but we cannot let up," Gov. Asa Hutchinson wrote on Twitter on Sunday in a post announcing the new case numbers.
Saturday's count of new confirmed and probable cases was 746 and Friday's was 958, meaning Sunday represented a decrease. However, a greater volume of testing contributed to results reported on those days, in contrast to the covid-19 numbers reported on Sunday.
Results from 8,602 polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, tests and 614 of the rapid, less-sensitive antigen tests were logged on Saturday.
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Thirty-six of the 455 new confirmed cases reported on Sunday were from correctional facilities, according to the Department of Health.
The cumulative case-count increased to 87,013 on Sunday, when accounting for both confirmed and probable infections, compared with 86,525 the day before.
Health officials on Sunday reported that an additional 523 people have recovered from covid-19 after a confirmed test result, for a total of 75,615 recoveries among confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic in Arkansas.
The total number of active confirmed and probable cases fell by 116, to 7,222, according to the Department of Health.
Even though hospitalizations rose to their highest level since August, the number of patients on ventilators decreased by six, to 89.
Individuals between the ages of 25-44 continue to represent the largest share of people who have been infected. They comprise 33.4% of confirmed positive cases in the state. The second-largest group by age is made up of residents 45-64 years old, with 25.6% of confirmed cases.
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CASES BY COUNTY
Pulaski County added 50 new confirmed and probable cases, for a cumulative total of 9,770.
Confirmed and probable cases in Benton County were up by 18, for a total of 6,890.
In Washington County, 22 new confirmed and probable cases were reported, bringing the cumulative total to 9,899.
Confirmed and probable cases in Craighead County increased by 34, to 3,261.
Jefferson County's cumulative total of confirmed and probable cases increased by 31, to 3,543.
In terms of active confirmed and probable cases, Pulaski County led the state with 640, though that figure was down by 41 from the day before.
Washington County reported the second-highest number of active confirmed and probable cases in the state, with 491, closely followed by Jefferson County, with 484. Jefferson County's active-case count was up 11 from the previous day.
Craighead County reported 398 active confirmed and probable cases, more than Benton County, which reported 376.
SCHOOLS
On Friday, Conway Junior High School announced that the school would shift to online learning this week because of a large number of students quarantined over possible exposure.
"In the last week, Conway Junior High School has quarantined more than 100 students who were probable close contacts to cases of COVID-19 in our building," according to a Facebook post from the school. "The number of actual positive cases is still low, so we want to do everything we can to make sure our students stay healthy and safe."
The school will "pivot" to virtual instruction beginning on today and will continue until Friday.
"We ask for your support and cooperation as we make this decision in the best interest of our staff and our students. Please help us by limiting your students' group interactions and activities outside of school," the post from the school said.
In the Little Rock School District, eighth graders at Forest Heights STEM Academy, a K-8 district school, will transition to virtual learning beginning today.
In its daily covid-19 report on Sunday, the school district noted that Forest Heights eighth-graders would use online instruction until at least Friday. The situation will be assessed again Sunday, according to the district's report.
Additionally, in the Sunday report, the Little Rock School District said one staff member at Watson Elementary had tested positive; 12 students and five other staff members at Watson were in quarantine because of possible exposure.
One staff member at Little Rock Central High School tested positive as well, according to the Little Rock school district. The school last week shifted to virtual instruction for Thursday and Friday and canceled a football game after four students tested positive.
