Arkansas' count of coronavirus cases rose Thursday by 334 — the first time in eight days in which the daily increase was larger than the one a week earlier.
However, recoveries continued to outpace new cases of the coronavirus. The number of active coronavirus cases in Arkansas on Thursday fell below 2,100 for the first time since June.
After falling for the previous seven days, the number of people hospitalized with covid-19 in Arkansas rose by nine, to 181.
The state's death toll from the virus since March 2020, as tracked by the Arkansas Department of Health, rose by 11, to 5,571.
In a statement, Gov. Asa Hutchinson highlighted the more than 1 million vaccine doses, including second doses, that have been administered in Arkansas through state and federal programs.
“Today's report shows an increase of over 127,000 vaccine doses administered since last week and a single-day increase of nearly 29,000," Hutchinson said. "I encourage everyone to get vaccinated when it's your turn to protect our friends and neighbors.”
Despite the increase in hospitalized patients, the number of virus patients who were on ventilators fell by five, to 38. It had risen a day earlier.
The number of virus patients who were in intensive care as of 2 p.m. rose by five, to 79.
Thursday's daily increase in cases was more than 100 larger than the increase a day earlier. It was 70 cases larger than the increase from the previous Thursday, March 18.
After dropping below 200 on Wednesday for the first time since May, the average number of cases added to the state's tallies each day over a rolling seven-day period rose Thursday to 209.
More details in Friday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.