COVID-19 deaths continue significant rise; more vaccines sent to Arkansas

The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) on Monday (Dec. 21) reported 58 more COVID-19 deaths, with 20 of those being delayed from previous days. Arkansas health officials also on Monday received more than 24,000 Pfizer and Moderna vaccines with more expected this week.

Total cumulative known confirmed and probable cases rose in Monday’s report by 1,457 to 203,107, and total confirmed and probable active cases fell by 843 to 22,158. Hospitalizations continue to stress the state’s hospitals. Hospitalizations rose 21 to 1,078 on Monday. There were 49 available ICU beds as of 2 p.m. Monday, up from 48 on Sunday, but still well below the 73 on Dec. 15 – the last day bed availability has been above 70.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson said with Monday’s report that Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were shipped to the state. The Moderna vaccine was approved for use this weekend. Pfizer vaccines first arrived last week.

“Today we began receiving shipments of the Moderna vaccine (5,900 doses), with additional shipments expected tomorrow and Wednesday. We also received a second shipment of the Pfizer vaccine (18,575 doses). While this news provides hope for many, it is a continued concern to see the loss of 58 additional Arkansans (20 are delayed reports). We must steel our resolve to take every precaution to keep everyone safe,” Gov. Hutchinson said in a statement.

COVID REPORT – Dec. 21
New known COVID-19 cases, active cases, tests
• 171,672 known cumulative PCR cases, with 1,067 new community cases and 2 reported cases in correctional facilities
• 31,435 probable cases, up from 31,047 on Sunday
• There are 16,589 active cases, down from 17,135 on Sunday
• There were 9,178 test results provided in the previous 24 hours.
• There were 1,013 antigen tests in the previous 24 hours.

Deaths
• 2,885, up 43
• 410 probable COVID-related deaths, up 15

Hospitalizations
1,078, up 21

Ventilators
174, up 4

Recovered cases
152,176

The top five counties with new known cases reported Monday were: Pulaski (200), Benton (138), Washington (101), Craighead (93), and Faulkner (69). The counties accounted for 56.3% of the 1,067 new community cases.

As of Monday at 1:30 p.m., there were 17,905,466 U.S. cases and 318,300 deaths. Globally, there were 77,134,668 cases and 1,698,497 deaths.