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 Thursday on the Arkansas Department of Health's website:
• 268,940 cumulative confirmed cases, up 213 from Wednesday.
• 152.14 rolling seven-day average of new confirmed cases, down 1.72 from Wednesday.
• 8.7% cumulative PCR infection rate, no change from Wednesday.
• 76,005 cumulative confirmed cases, up 75 from Wednesday.
• 14.3% cumulative antigen infection rate, down from 14.4% from Wednesday.
• 336,671 recoveries of confirmed and probable cases, up 201 from Wednesday.
• 2,334 active confirmed and probable cases, up 83 from Wednesday.
• 2,675,460 vaccine doses received, up 1,340 from Wednesday.
• 2,069,078 doses given, up 5,386 from Wednesday.
• 219 hospitalizations, up eight from Wednesday.
• 56 cases on a ventilator, up six from Wednesday.
• 116 ICU admissions, up four from Wednesday.
• 4,658 confirmed deaths, up one from Wednesday.
• 1,211 probable deaths, up one from Wednesday.
• 2,091 nursing home deaths, no change from Wednesday.
• 8,744 cumulative confirmed cases in Garland County, up eight from Wednesday.
• 0.6 rolling seven-day average of new confirmed cases, up 0.57 from Wednesday.
• 119,639 PCR and antigen test reports, up 70 from Wednesday.
• 91,465 private lab reports, up 65 from Wednesday.
• 28,174 public lab reports, up five from Wednesday.
• 8.5% cumulative PCR infection rate, no change from Wednesday.
• 44 active confirmed cases in Garland County, up six from Wednesday.
• 8,486 recoveries of confirmed cases in Garland County, up two from Wednesday
• 1,685 cumulative probable cases in Garland County, up two from Wednesday.
• 19 active probable cases in Garland County, no change from Wednesday.
• 214 confirmed deaths, no change from Wednesday.
• 49 probable deaths, no change from Wednesday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the delta variant accounts for at least 10% of all U.S. cases, up from 2.7% less than four weeks ago.
Delta first emerged in India and is now the dominant strain in the United Kingdom. It's one of six strains the CDC has identified as a variant of concern. Using the United Kingdom as a model, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health said delta will be the dominant domestic strain within weeks.
Delta has proved more transmissible and virulent than other strains. A recently released study by a United Kingdom public health agency found two doses of vaccine are far more effective against it than one dose. Only three of the state's 75 counties have fully vaccinated at least 40% of their residents, the Health Department said.
"The rate at which the state is now vaccinating is too slow," UAMS said earlier this week. "We acknowledge achieving higher vaccination rates is complicated by the relaxed attitude with which the epidemic is now perceived. Outside of more metropolitan areas in the state, mask wearing is rare. In almost all areas, local gathering places give little concern to social distancing and large groups of people are gathering. There seems to be a strong feeling in the state that the pandemic is over."