COVID-19 update

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 following stats were posted Monday on the Arkansas Department of Health's website:

• 267,411 cumulative confirmed cases, up 37 from Sunday.

• 102 rolling seven-day average of new confirmed cases, up 1.57 from Sunday.

• 3,069,231 PCR test reports, up 1,111 from Sunday.

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

• 75,084 cumulative probable cases, up 15 from Sunday.

• 14.4% cumulative antigen infection rate, no change from Sunday.

• 334,990 recoveries of confirmed and probable cases, up 172 from Sunday.

• 1,594 active confirmed and probable cases, down 113 from Sunday.

• 2,651,460 vaccine doses received, no change from Sunday.

• 2,013,844 doses given, up 2,484 from Sunday.

• 175 hospitalizations, down 12 from Sunday.

• 33 cases on a ventilator, down two from Sunday.

• 80 ICU admissions, down 17 from Sunday.

• 4,642 confirmed deaths, up three from Sunday.

• 1,207 probable deaths, no change from Sunday.

• 2,092 nursing home deaths, no change from Sunday.

• 8,696 cumulative confirmed cases in Garland County, no change from Sunday.

• 3.71 rolling seven-day average of new confirmed cases, down 0.29 from Sunday.

• 118,710 PCR and antigen test reports, up 36 from Sunday.

• 90,559 private lab reports, up 37 from Sunday.

• 28,151 public lab reports, down one from Sunday.

• 8.5% cumulative PCR infection rate, no change from Sunday.

• 36 active confirmed cases in Garland County, down five from Sunday.

• 8,446 recoveries of confirmed cases in Garland County, up five from Sunday.

• 1,664 cumulative probable cases in Garland County, no change from Sunday.

• 15 active probable cases in Garland County, down one from Sunday.

• 214 confirmed deaths, no change from Sunday.

• 49 probable deaths, no change from Sunday.

A recently released study by a United Kingdom public health agency said a single dose of a two-dose vaccine regimen is significantly less effective against the Delta variant of the virus than it is against other permutations.

The Delta variant was first identified in India in October. It's one of four variants the World Health Organization has named as a variant of concern.

Public Health England found one dose of Pfizer or AstraZeneca's two-dose regimen was 33.5% effective against the variant. They were 51.1% effective against the Alpha variant, which was first discovered in the United Kingdom. Two doses of the Pfizer vaccine were 87.9% effective the against Delta variant, compared to an effectiveness rate of 93.4% against the Alpha variant.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted the Pfizer vaccine an emergency use authorization. AstraZeneca's vaccine hasn't been approved for use in the United States but has been accepted for emergency use in more than 100 countries, including the United Kingdom.

Public Health England's study said the Delta variant appears to be more transmissible than the original strain of the virus.

The WHO recently began naming variants after letters in the Greek alphabet to avoid confusion and stigmatizing countries where variants are first detected. The Alpha variant was first detected in the United Kingdom. The Beta variant was first detected in South Africa, and the Gamma variant was first detected in Brazil.

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