Rate of new COVID-19 case growth trending lower; deaths rise by 55

New confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases fell week-over-week for the fourth consecutive day, according to Wednesday’s (Jan. 20) report from the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH). Unfortunately, deaths rose by 55 to 4,441.

The ADH also reported that confirmed and active cases fell by 549 to 20,391. The ADH also reported 48 available ICU beds as of 2 p.m. Wednesday, down from 50 on Tuesday.

“We again saw a decrease in active cases across the state today. This is the fourth consecutive day of a decline, and we have over 4,700 fewer active cases than this time last week. It’s up to each of us to ensure we stay on this trend and defeat this virus,” Gov. Asa Hutchinson said about Wednesday’s report.

The state has received 312,225 vaccines since federal distribution began Dec. 14, including 1,950 delivered within the past 24 hours. Vaccines administered in the previous 24 hours rose by 17,090 to 164,699, or 52.8% of vaccines received.

The federal program in which CVS and Walgreens is managing vaccinations in nursing homes and other long term care facilities has received 49,400 vaccines since Dec. 28. Vaccines administered rose by 190 to 6,816, or 13.8% of vaccines received. (The state on Tuesday erroneously reported that it received 31,300 more vaccines for the federal program.)

COVID REPORT – Jan 20
New known COVID-19 cases, active cases, tests
• 222,287 known cumulative PCR cases, with 1,486 new community cases and 4 reported cases in correctional facilities
• 53,827 probable cases, up from 52,797 on Tuesday
• There are 14,613 active cases, down from 15,281 on Tuesday
• There were 9,184 test results provided in the previous 24 hours.
• There were 4,186 antigen tests in the previous 24 hours.

Deaths
• 3,657, up 36
• 784 probable COVID-related deaths, up 19

Hospitalizations
1,179, down 86

Ventilators
212, up 3

Recovered cases
203,891

The top five counties with new known cases reported Wednesday were: Pulaski (296), Washington (230), Benton (172), Sebastian (133), and Faulkner (115). The counties accounted for 37.5% of the 2,520 new confirmed and probable cases.

As of Wednesday at 4 p.m., there were 24,382,311 U.S. cases and 404,898 deaths. Globally, there were 96,640,644 cases and 2,068,921 deaths.