With covid-19 vaccination efforts expanding, Arkansas is witnessing a sharp drop in the number of people afflicted by the virus, state Department of Health officials said Monday.
The number of active covid-19 cases in the Natural State on Monday fell by 222, to 2,863, down from a peak of 27,822 on Jan. 9.
Statewide, 117 new cases were reported Monday. That's down from 133 on the previous Monday.
At least seven of the 117 were in correctional facilities.
Asked to characterize the latest numbers, state Epidemiologist Jennifer Dillaha said, "They're hopeful. They're very hopeful."
"We are having, in general, a downward trend and decreased transmission around the state. That is a good thing, of course. And we're having an upward trend in people who are vaccinated," she said. "We have almost 300,000 people in Arkansas that are now fully vaccinated."
[CORONAVIRUS: Click here for our complete coverage » arkansasonline.com/coronavirus]
That means roughly one-eighth of Arkansans ages 16 and up have already completed the process.
State and federal plans have prioritized immunizations for older Arkansans.
Since the start of the global pandemic, the novel coronavirus has killed 5,481 people in Arkansas; seven of those fatalities were reported by health officials Monday. Statewide, 327,060 covid-19 cases have been tallied.
While the virus strikes all age groups, it has taken the heaviest toll on the elderly.
Of those killed by covid-19 in Arkansas, 81.5% were 65 or older; 11.7% were ages 55-64; 4.4% were ages 45-54; and 1.6% were ages 35-44. The remaining fatalities were ages 25-34 (0.6%); and ages 18-24 (0.1%), according to the state health department.
It's been one year since Arkansas recorded its first covid-19 cases.
Initially, the state fared better than many of its neighbors, but the pandemic's toll rose sharply in the fall and winter.
The state recorded its first covid-19 fatality in March 2020 and its 1,000th on Sept. 15.
The toll topped 2,000 on November 3; 3,000 on Dec. 15; 4,000 on Jan. 9 and 5,000 on Feb. 4.
After months of widespread sickness and suffering, the statistical data has markedly improved in recent weeks.
"There is some debate about what all is contributing" to the turnaround, Dillaha said.
As of Monday, 556,853 Arkansans have received at least one vaccine dose. The state has also tallied 318,716 covid-19 cases where the virus is no longer active.
There's some overlap between the two groups, Dillaha said. Nonetheless, in a state with 3 million people, a sizable percentage of the population is less vulnerable to covid-19 than they were before, she said.
"I believe we're on the way, shall we say, to developing herd immunity. So I think that's part of it," she said.
"It's very possible also that covid-19 has a seasonal component. We don't know for sure yet because it's a new disease. If that is true, then we'll have to pay close attention to what happens in the fall."
Gov. Asa Hutchinson touted Monday's encouraging statistical data while also urging Arkansans to get their shots.
"Today's number of active cases is the lowest in Arkansas since early June. We are making great progress in decreasing our new case numbers, but we must continue to get vaccinated," he said in a written statement. "The best thing each of us can do is get the vaccine when it's our turn."
Of the 1,244,220 doses of vaccine directed through Arkansas state programs, 768,923 had been given by Monday: 61.8%. Another 165,020 doses have been allocated for federal programs in Arkansas, resulting in 80,060 shots: 48.5%, state officials said.
Statewide, 299,885 individuals are now totally immunized. Another 256,968 ages 16 and up have been partially immunized, the department said.
Currently, Arkansas has opened vaccine eligibility to everyone in Phase 1-B. Among those included are people 65 and older, those with intellectual or developmental disabilities, law enforcement officers, firefighters and other first responders, educators, essential government workers, postal workers, grocery store employees, farmers, manufacturers, religious leaders and correctional workers.
The state's timeline calls for those in Phase 1-C to get access at the beginning of April "and it looks like we're on track for that," Dillaha said.
Asked whether any Arkansans are cutting in line to get shots, Dillaha said, "We do hear stories about people getting vaccinated who are not eligible. I do not think it's a great number of people."
Arkansans elbowing their way to the front haven't been punished, she said, but vaccinators who flout the rules could face consequences.
"We encourage people to have patience," she said. "In the very near future, we expect the number of doses available to Arkansas to greatly increase. That means vaccine will be more widely available around the state, in more convenient locations."
She is hopeful that, by May, the supply will be plentiful.
As the state rushes to immunize as many people as possible, Arkansas hospitals are laboring to treat those hit hardest by covid-19. The number hospitalized increased by seven to 250. The number on ventilators rose by three to 58.
Benton County had the most new covid-19 cases -- 15 -- on Monday's report. Crawford (13), Pulaski (12); Washington (11); and Lonoke (8) counties followed.
Over the past year, 15,053 people have been hospitalized in Arkansas from covid-19; 1,550 needed ventilators.