Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post via Getty Images
(LITTLE ROCK, Ark.) As COVID-19 vaccination rollouts continue and the U.S. returns to a semblance of normality, Arkansas officials are warning of a third surge following a spike in cases.
Arkansas, which never issued an official stay-at-home order during the pandemic, reported 686 new probable and confirmed COVID-19 cases Wednesday the largest one-day increase in more than four months.
The state’s COVID-19 hospitalizations also rose by 19 to 325, and deaths increased by four to 5,909.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson said in a statement that “the high number of cases today makes it clear that the delta variant is increasing the spread of the virus” in the state.
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Arkansas braces for 3rd COVID-19 surge as vaccination rate slows
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Only one of the 15 patients hospitalized had been previously vaccinated before contracting COVID-19.
Stephanie Free, Infection Preventionist at Baxter Regional Medical Center, says “Based on these numbers, it is clear to us here at Baxter Regional that the COVID-19 vaccine is effective in protecting against current strains of COVID-19.”
The facility says it has not reopened it’s COVID unit in the hospital.
According to a BRMC news release, “At this time, Baxter Regional has not considered this current rise in cases enough to justify reopening a COVID Unit within the Hospital. Instead, COVID patients are treated in single-patient, negative pressure rooms for the safety of staff, patients and visitors.”
Arkansas braces for 3rd COVID-19 surge as vaccination rate slows
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