LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The number of people hospitalized in Arkansas due to COVID-19 declined slightly on Saturday and the number of vaccinations increased by more than 41,000.
The Arkansas Department of Health reported 1,452 hospitalizations, six fewer than Friday, during a week in which a record high number of hospitalizations was set four times.
The department also reported an additional 41,300 virus vaccinations.
“Today’s report shows some improvement,” Gov. Asa Hutchinson said on his Twitter page, while continuing to encourage residents to get the vaccine.
“Vaccinations are up and new cases are down, but we still are seeing strain on our hospitals,” Hutchinson wrote.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 50.1% of Arkansans have now received at least one dose of the vaccine and 38.2% are fully vaccinated.
Arkansas ranked fifth in the nation with 1,030.6 new cases per 100,000 residents, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The seven-day rolling average of new cases in the state has increased from 1,828.6 per day on July 29 to 2,271.1 on Thursday.
