LITTLE ROCK (AP) – The number of patients hospitalized because of coronavirus in Arkansas continued surging Monday to a new record of nearly 1,300.There were 1,296 people hospitalized because of COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, up from 1,234 a day before, according to the Department of Health.
The state’s virus cases rose by 1,306 to 234,781 and 51 more people died from COVID-19, the department said.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson called the increase in deaths and hospitalizations “vivid reminders of how many families are hurting because of this pandemic.
“Our health care system is stretched and the numbers are likely to increase more,” Hutchinson said in a statement released by his office.
Over the past two weeks, there were 1,056 new cases per 100,000 people in Arkansas, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. That ranks fifth in the country for new cases per capita, according to Johns Hopkins.
One in every 162 people in Arkansas tested positive for the virus in the past week.
Four percent of the state’s intensive care unit beds and 22% of its hospital beds were available, according to the Department of Health. There are 411 COVID-19 patients in ICUs around the state.
The Arkansas Department of Corrections on Monday said it will conduct its first round of coronavirus vaccinations for employees. A department spokeswoman said at least 975 will receive the vaccine, which will go toward the department’s contracted medical provider and to officers permanently assigned to medical security and transportation roles.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI