The 515 new cases the Arkansas Department of Health reported Friday ended a two-day rise in the infection curve, replacing the 557 new cases reported the previous Friday in the rolling seven-day average.
Active cases grew at a lower rate than they had the previous two days. Active infections increased by more than 200 Wednesday and Thursday, the biggest single-day increases in two months.
The eight new cases reported Friday in Garland County raised its infection curve for a third straight day but at a lower rate than the previous two days. Friday's new cases ended two straight days of double-digit increases and lowered the number of active cases for the first time since Tuesday.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson will resume his weekly COVID-19 press update Monday at 1:30 p.m., according to the weekly schedule is office released Friday. His trip to Israel this week for the Prime Minister's Smart Mobility Conference prevented him from providing his regular update. It was his first international economic development trip since the pandemic started.
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 Friday on the Health Department's website:
• 518,863 cumulative cases, up 515 from Thursday.
• 477 rolling seven-day average of new cases, down six from Thursday.
• 4,151,457 PCR test reports, up 8,875 from Thursday.
• 9.2% cumulative PCR infection rate, no change from Thursday.
• 4,882 active cases, up 98 from Thursday.
• 1,337 active juvenile cases, up 17 from Thursday
• 505,275 recoveries, up 404 from Thursday.
• 4,248,690 vaccine doses received, no change from Thursday.
• 3,258,654 doses given, up 10,539 from Thursday.
• 297 hospitalizations, down two from Thursday.
• 57 cases on ventilators, down two from Thursday.
• 8,560 deaths, up 13 from Thursday.
• 2,259 nursing home deaths, no change from Thursday.
• 16,074 cumulative cases in Garland County, up eight from Thursday.
• 7.29 rolling seven-day average of new cases, up 0.15 from Thursday.
• 162,707 PCR and antigen test reports, up 193 from Thursday.
• 10.2% cumulative PCR infection rate, no change from Thursday.
• 69 active cases in Garland County, down one from Thursday.
• 15,608 recoveries in Garland County, up nine from Thursday.
• 397 deaths, no change from Thursday.