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 Tuesday on the Arkansas Department of Health website:
• 256,077 cumulative confirmed cases, up 241 from Monday.
• 2,744,051 PCR test reports, up 5,322 from Monday.
• 9.3% cumulative PCR infection rate, no change from Monday.
• 69,306 cumulative probable cases, up 191 from Monday.
• 16.9% cumulative antigen infection rate, down 0.1% since Monday.
• 2,516 active confirmed and probable cases, down 141 from Monday.
• 1,158,630 vaccine doses received, up 70,480 from Monday.
• 697,452 doses given, up 13,172 from Monday.
• 317 hospitalizations, down 21 from Monday.
• 71 cases on a ventilator, down three from Monday.
• 136 ICU admissions, down five from Monday.
• 4,321 confirmed deaths, up six from Monday.
• 1,036 probable deaths, up eight from Monday.
• 2,005 nursing home deaths, up three from Monday.
• 8,296 cumulative confirmed cases in Garland County, up 33 from Monday.
• 106,184 PCR and antigen test reports, up 775 from Monday.
• 80,288 private lab reports, up 423 from Monday.
• 25,563 public lab reports, up 19 from Monday.
• 8.9% cumulative PCR infection rate, no change from Monday.
• 113 active confirmed cases in Garland County, up three from Monday.
• 7,989 recoveries of confirmed cases in Garland County, up 30 from Monday.
• 1,575 cumulative probable cases in Garland County, up 10 from Monday.
• 21 active probable cases in Garland County, down one from Monday.
• 194 confirmed deaths, no change from Monday.
• 40 probable deaths, up one from Monday.
Garland County was third on the list of counties in the state with the most new confirmed and probable cases on Tuesday, at 42, behind Benton County, at 47, and Washington County, at 62. Rounding out the list were Faulkner County, at 28, and Pulaski County, at 26.
The Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System said in a news release on Tuesday that it has updated its protocols to allow all eligible veterans enrolled in VA to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.
Veterans must already receive care at VA or be eligible to receive care at VA in order to receive a vaccine, the release said.
CAVHS also said it is encouraging enrolled veterans of any age in the following categories to come in for their vaccination:
• Eligible high-risk veterans, such as those in a Community Living Center and other congregate living settings, homeless veterans, hemodialysis patients, transplant patients, those with spinal cord injuries, those with unstable diabetes, and chemotherapy patients.
• Eligible veterans employed as essential front-line workers (aged 18 and older) such as firefighters, police officers, correction officers, food and agricultural workers, U.S. Postal Service workers, manufacturing workers, grocery store workers, public transit workers, and those who work in the education sector as well as day care workers who have not yet received the first doses.
Eligible veterans can call either 501-257-1978 or 888-357-1978 to schedule an appointment for a vaccine.
The CAVHS vaccine clinic at John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital in Little Rock is open Monday through Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; walk-ins are accepted until 2:30 p.m. The vaccine clinic at Eugene J. Towbin VA Medical Center in North Little Rock is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; walk-ins are accepted until 2:30 p.m.
Its mobile vaccination teams cover the eight Community Based Outpatient Clinics, Home Based Primary Care patients, and the Day Treatment Center in downtown Little Rock. The vaccination team will call veterans to schedule an appointment.
The team will be at the Hot Springs CBOC on Mondays, by appointment only.