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 Friday on the Arkansas Department of Health website:
• 255,365 cumulative confirmed cases, up 422 from Thursday.
• 273.29 rolling seven-day average of new confirmed cases, up 1.43 from Thursday.
• 2,728,103 PCR test reports, up 8,874 from Thursday.
• 9.4% cumulative PCR infection rate, no change from Thursday.
• 68,961 cumulative probable cases, up 148 from Thursday.
• 17% cumulative antigen infection rate, down from 17.2% Thursday.
• 4,296 active confirmed and probable cases, up 35 from Thursday.
• 1,064,020 vaccine doses received, up 65,680 from Thursday.
• 653,245 doses given, up 16,955 from Thursday.
• 359 hospitalizations, down 13 from Thursday.
• 86 cases on a ventilator, up one from Thursday.
• 4,291 confirmed deaths, up eight from Thursday.
• 992 probable deaths, up two from Thursday.
• 1,994 nursing home deaths, up two from Thursday.
• 8,244 cumulative confirmed cases in Garland County, up 27 from Thursday.
• 11.58 rolling seven-day average of new confirmed cases, up 1.44 from Thursday.
• 104,822 PCR and antigen test reports, up 342 from Thursday.
• 79,566 private lab reports, up 238 from Thursday.
• 25,256 public lab reports, up 104 from Thursday.
• 8.9% cumulative PCR infection rate, no change from Thursday.
• 141 active confirmed cases in Garland County, up three from Thursday.
• 7,911 recoveries of confirmed cases in Garland County, up 24 from Thursday.
• 1,562 cumulative probable cases in Garland County, up two from Thursday.
• 40 active probable cases in Garland County, down two from Thursday.
• 192 confirmed deaths, no change from Thursday.
• 39 probable deaths, no change from Thursday.
Garland County ranked in the top five for new infections Friday for the second-straight day, with 27 new polymerase chain reaction-confirmed cases raising the county's PCR-confirmed infection curve for the first time since Sunday.
The 27 new infections came from lower testing numbers than were reported Thursday, when 24 new PCR-confirmed infections were reported with more than 500 PCR and antigen test reports added to the county's testing total. Fewer than 350 PCR and antigen reports were added Friday.
The statewide PCR-confirmed infection curve also rose Friday for the first time in five days, as the 422 new PCR infections reported Friday were the most since Feb. 25.
New infections as a percentage of daily tests results is one of the metrics that will determine if Gov. Asa Hutchinson lifts the state's mask mandate at the end of the month. The directive will be removed if daily PCR and antigen testing averages 7,500 with a positivity rate lower than 10%. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday's testing averaged more than 7,500 reports.
If the threshold isn't met, the mandate could still be lifted if hospitalizations are below 750. They haven't been above that level since Feb. 9.
Hutchinson said masks would be "strongly encouraged" but not required if the directive becomes a recommendation. Last month he converted directives on business and social activities to recommendations.
"Since our COVID-19 numbers have been moving in the right direction, the secretary of health and I decided we could safely take some steps toward more normal lives," Hutchinson said Friday in his weekly address. "This includes converting all restrictions on businesses to less restrictive guidance ...
"We can't keep the directives in place forever, and this cautious approach offers flexibility for our small businesses. We are able to loosen up a bit because Arkansans have followed the directives. We have vaccinated nearly 10% of our 3 million population, and as more people get the vaccine, our number of cases will continue to fall. We are not in the end zone. I encourage you to follow the Health Department guidelines and get your vaccine as soon as you can."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 28 million Americans have been fully vaccinated. The agency said Friday that it's still working on public health recommendations for fully vaccinated people.