COVID-19 update: UAMS chancellor urges continued use of masks

This illustration provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in January 2020 shows the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV). - Image by CDC via The Associated Press
This illustration provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in January 2020 shows the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV). - Image by CDC via The Associated Press

As a service to our readers, The Sentinel-Record publishes updates released by the city of Hot Springs and the state of Arkansas.

The Arkansas Department of Health is no longer reporting confirmed and probable cases separately. The following stats were posted Wednesday on the Health Department's website:

• 354,305 cumulative cases, up 1,210 from Wednesday.

• 3,154,022 PCR test reports, up 5,154 from Wednesday.

• 8.7% cumulative PCR infection rate, no change from Wednesday.

• 5,932 active cases, up 740 from Wednesday.

• 342,355 recoveries, up 459 from Wednesday.

• 2,724,040 vaccine doses received, no change from Wednesday.

•2,167,723 doses given, up 5,506 from Wednesday.

• 481 hospitalizations, up 49 from Wednesday.

• 82 cases on a ventilator, up two from Wednesday.

• 196 ICU admissions, up 20 from Wednesday.

• 5,944 deaths, up 11 from Wednesday.

• 2,093 nursing home deaths, no change from Wednesday.

• 10,775 cumulative cases in Garland County, up 33 from Wednesday.

• 121,439 test reports, up 532 from Wednesday.

• 8.7% cumulative PCR infection rate, up 0.1% from Wednesday.

• 236 active cases in Garland County, up 13 from Wednesday.

• 10,775 recoveries in Garland County, up 19 from Wednesday.

• 265 deaths, no change from Wednesday.

Dr. Cam Patterson, chancellor of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, gave a lengthy personal account on Twitter Thursday as to why people should continue to wear masks indoors in public spaces.

"I am a pretty healthy, fully vaccinated 58-year-old, so my risk of contracting COVID-19 & being hospitalized or, God forbid, dying is as close to zero as you can get in medicine, & the same goes for my wife (an infectious disease specialist) & our three teenage kids ... all of whom are vaccinated. So all of us have little risk even if we are exposed to COVID-19 in public. However, that doesn't mean we don't still have a small but meaningful risk of having asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic COVID-19 infections," Patterson tweeted.

"It seems that the probability of this occurring is higher with the more transmissible Delta variant. If I or any of my family gets an asymptomatic COVID-19 infection, we can still transmit the virus to others. Unfortunately more than 65% of Arkansans aren't fully vaccinated. ... And are at risk of serious infections, hospitalization, & death, & the number of new infections is rising dramatically & scarily in our state. Even fully vaccinated individuals who are immunocompromised due to renal disease, from organ transplantation, or for other reasons ... may have breakthrough infections that are life-threatening -- & these are our most vulnerable citizens," he tweeted.

Patterson noted that the delta variant is "serious -- we are seeing this @uamshealth & across the state -- a much higher percentage in the ICUs, on ventilators, on heart-lung bypass ... & a much higher percentage this time in young otherwise healthy individuals."

"The odds are that we are going to have a much rougher experience with COVID-19 over the next several months than we have experienced in the first 18 months of the pandemic," the tweet said.

"The Delta variant is serious. My family is going to keep wearing masks indoors in public spaces because we care about everyone in our state & we want this pandemic to pass as soon as possible.

"You should too, whether you are vaccinated or not, until we get this virus under control. And if you aren't vaccinated, please roll up your shirt & get your shot. #UAMSGotMyShot."

Upcoming Events