State's covid hospitalizations near 5-month low

Breunna Lewis, a medical assistant for UAMS, administers a covid-19 test Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020 at the Lonoke Community Center. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Staci Vandagriff)
Breunna Lewis, a medical assistant for UAMS, administers a covid-19 test Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020 at the Lonoke Community Center. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Staci Vandagriff)

The daily increase in Arkansas covid-19 cases remained in the triple digits on Saturday as the number of Arkansans hospitalized with the coronavirus neared a five-month low.

The Arkansas Department of Health reported 557 new cases Saturday. That's up from 516 new cases the day before, and up from the 517 new cases reported a week earlier. However, it's also the 16th consecutive day that the daily tally of new cases in Arkansas has been below 1,000.

"Today’s report continues to show encouraging trends in our numbers," Gov. Asa Hutchinson tweeted Saturday. "It has never been more critical to stay the course [and] keep our state going in the right direction."

Hospitalizations fell by 29, to 475. That's the lowest number this year, and tied for the second-lowest since the state reported 461 hospitalizations five months earlier, on Sept. 27, 2020.

Active cases rose by four, and the death toll since March rose by 10, to 5,417. It's the fourth consecutive day in which 10 covid-19 deaths were reported.

Hutchinson said last week that he hoped vaccinations would pick up speed again after severe winter weather slowed distribution. The state reported that 25,217 doses were given Saturday, raising Arkansas' total vaccinations above 586,000, according to Health Department data.

More details in Sunday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

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