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New cases of covid-19 are on the rise in Arkansas and hospitalizations are at their highest level since March. State officials say the delta variant of coronavirus is at least partially to blame.
What is the delta variant?
The delta variant is a strain of the coronavirus that first emerged in India and later became the dominant strain in the U.K.
The variant is highly contagious, more than strains that have been in Arkansas since the onset of the pandemic. Compared to those strains, the variant is more transmissible outside and during brief interactions.
How is the variant affecting Arkansas?
The seven-day rolling average of the number of new cases per day in the last week has hovered around 250-280, which is the highest it’s been since mid-March.
State epidemiologist Dr. Jennifer Dillaha said she suspects the delta variant is responsible for Arkansas' recent uptick in cases.
The variant, along with low vaccination rates, has been blamed for a surge in cases and hospitalizations in southwestern Missouri. Nearby Arkansas counties, including Baxter and Stone, have seen increases in cases during the same time frame.
How prevalent is the variant in Arkansas?
Because only a small percentage of specimens are sent to laboratories that can determine whether a case was caused by a variant, the total number of cases caused by variants is unknown.
As of Saturday, Dillaha said, the delta variant had been found to have caused five cases in Saline County, three each in Pulaski and Benton counties and two in Crawford County.
Baxter, Chicot, Cleburne, Grant, Greene, Hot Spring, Lonoke, Ouachita, Phillips and Washington counties each had at least one such case.
"It's everywhere by now, I'm pretty convinced," Dillaha said.
How can Arkansans protect themselves?
Dillaha said Arkansans should get vaccinated. As of Friday, just 34% of Arkansans were fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, leaving the state 49th in terms of percentage of population fully vaccinated compared to the rest of the states plus Washington D.C.
Dillaha also said she recommends Arkansans continue wearing masks in public or at large gatherings, especially when there may be unvaccinated people present.
But do vaccines protect against the variant?
The World Health Organization said vaccines are expected to protect against the delta variant.
Although the degree of protection is uncertain, NPR reports that health officials believe that even if someone fully vaccinated contracts the delta strain, the individual will likely avoid severe illness, hospitalization and death.
Check out our virus tracker and vaccine tracker to monitor the state’s cases and immunizations.