COVID-19 update: October county's 6th-deadliest month

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

The pandemic has faded into the background as the growth of new cases and hospitalizations have abated over the last 11 weeks, but deaths continue to mount.

The 27 deaths of Garland County residents reported in October made it the county's sixth-highest month for reported deaths, surpassing the 25 reported in February. The 54 reported in August were the most of the pandemic, followed by 53 in January and 48 last December.

The state has said deaths reported on a given day don't always reflect the number of people who died during the previous 24 hours. The time it takes death investigators to confirm COVID-19 as the cause of death causes some deaths to be reported weeks or months after the fact.

The county's surveillance declined in October, with the 6,498 test reports added to its total more than 40% lower than the 11,029 added in September and more than 50% lower than the 13,402 added in August.

The county had its most robust surveillance in January and February, with 18,921, and 17,829 test reports.

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 Monday on the Health Department's website:

• 513,352 cumulative cases, up 137 from Sunday.

• 420.86 rolling seven-day average of new cases, down 3.43 from Sunday.

• 4,091,588 PCR test reports, up 1,568 from Sunday.

• 9.2% cumulative PCR infection rate, no change from Sunday.

• 4,420 active cases, down 397 from Sunday.

• 1,134 active juvenile cases, down 136 from Sunday.

• 500,406 recoveries, up 526 from Sunday.

• 4,170,520 vaccine doses received, no change from Sunday.

• 3,143,621 doses given, up 2,820 from Sunday.

• 331 hospitalizations, up two from Sunday.

• 89 cases on ventilators, down four from Sunday.

• 149 ICU patients, up seven from Sunday.

• 8,384 deaths, up eight from Sunday.

• 2,254 nursing home deaths, up one from Sunday.

• 15,995 cumulative cases in Garland County, up two from Sunday.

• 7.71 rolling seven-day average of new cases, no change from Sunday.

• 160,927 PCR and antigen test reports, up 55 from Sunday.

• 10.3% cumulative PCR infection rate, no change from Sunday.

• 80 active cases in Garland County, down six from Sunday.

• 15,519 recoveries in Garland County, up eight from Sunday.

• 396 deaths, no change from Sunday.

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