The number of Arkansans hospitalized with the coronavirus fell by 22 on Saturday, dropping below 700 for the first time since November, according to the Arkansas Department of Health.
Hospitalizations decreased by 22 on Saturday to 690. Of those patients hospitalized, 113 were on ventilators, down 10 from Friday.
The state’s count of new coronavirus cases rose by 954 on Saturday, a slight increase from the more than 500 new infections reported Friday but a steep decline from the 1,341 cases reported a week earlier, according to the Health Department.
The state on Saturday reported 40 additional deaths linked to the virus, raising the death toll from the pandemic in Arkansas since March to 5,252.
“While we saw lower cases than last week, we’re reminded of the severity of the virus with 40 additional deaths,” Gov. Asa Hutchinson said in a tweet. “Even though the weather is cold, we must continue to get our vaccinations into arms.
“The virus does not take a day off.”
Total active cases decreased by 351 to 12,222, the Health Department said. That's a three-month low.
More details in Sunday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.