After an uptick a day earlier, the downward trend in Arkansas' daily coronavirus cases increases resumed Tuesday as the count rose by 432.
The number of people hospitalized in the state with covid-19 fell by 21, to 317, its lowest level since July 4.
The state's death toll from the virus, as tracked by the Department of Health, rose by 14, to 5,357.
“We continue to see a decrease in active cases and hospitalizations compared to last week," Gov. Asa Hutchinson said in a statement.
"Also, an additional 104,000 doses of the covid-19 vaccine have been administered since last Tuesday. Our continued mitigation efforts, including vaccination, masking, and social distancing, will get us closer to the end of this pandemic.”
The number of cases added to the state's tallies was eight fewer than the number added the previous Tuesday, March 2.
As a result the average number of cases added each day over a rolling seven-day period fell by one, to 348.
The number of virus patients who were on ventilators fell by three, to 71.
The number who were in intensive care units as of 2 p.m. fell by five, to 136.
Read Wednesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for the full story.