Arkansas COVID-19 hospitalizations, ventilator use set new record

by Talk Business & Politics staff ([email protected]) 738 views 

Grim COVID-19 milestones continue in Arkansas, with the Arkansas Department of Health on Monday (Nov. 2) reporting record hospitalizations and patients on ventilators of 688 and 112, respectively. Hospital numbers rose by 33 and ventilator use rose by 12.

The number of known confirmed and probable cumulative cases rose by 584 to 113,641. Total deaths rose by 27 to 1,985.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson said he will on Tuesday discuss his “winter strategy” to respond to the pandemic.

“There is a slight decrease in new cases compared to last Monday with an increase in testing. While this is some good news, we are still seeing high numbers of deaths and hospitalizations. During tomorrow’s weekly update, I’ll discuss the state’s winter strategy, and we’ll receive an update about Arkansas schools and hospitals,” Gov. Hutchinson said.

Several U.S. medical officials in recent days have warned more growth in COVID cases during the fall and winter. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has said the nation is “in for a whole lot of hurt” and “all the stars are aligned in the wrong place as you go into the fall and winter season, with people congregating at home indoors.”

COVID REPORT – Nov. 2
New known COVID-19 cases, active cases, tests
• 104,703 known cumulative PCR cases, with 462 new community cases and 2 cases in correctional facilities
• 8,938 “probable” cases, up from 8,818 on Sunday
• There are 8,209 active cases, down from 8,404 on Sunday
• There were 7,866 test results provided in the previous 24 hours.
• There were 578 antigen tests in the previous 24 hours with 108 positives.

Deaths
• 1,817, up 26
• 168 “probable” COVID-related deaths, up 1

Hospitalizations
688, up 33

Ventilators
119, up 12

Recovered cases
94,664

The top five counties with new known cases reported Monday were: Pulaski (48), Washington (37), Craighead (33), Sebastian (31), and White (28). The counties accounted for 38.3% of the 462 new community cases.

As of Monday at 3 p.m., there were 9,254,287 U.S. cases and 231,263 deaths. Globally, there were 46,818,512 cases and 1,204,165 deaths.