LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas on Wednesday reported a spike in COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths, but the number of coronavirus patients on ventilators eased slightly.
The Department of Health said the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients rose by 101 to 1,313, although a department spokeswoman said part of the increase included cases not included in figures released Tuesday. The state’s COVID-19 deaths rose by 35 to 6,969 total since the pandemic began.
Arkansas ranks 10th nationally in new cases per capita, according to Johns Hopkins University research data.
The number of COVID-19 patients on ventilators dropped by 31 to 357 after that number hit a new high for two days in a row. There are 522 COVID-19 patients in intensive care units around the state.
The department said there are only 28 ICU beds available in the state, though it was unclear how many are equipped for COVID-19 cases.
The state reported 12,429 additional doses of the vaccine were given. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 42% of the state’s population is fully vaccinated.
