LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Arkansas’ total deaths from the coronavirus surpassed 5,000 on Thursday as the state saw a steep drop in virus hospitalizations.
The Department of Health reported the state’s COVID-19 deaths rose by 24 to 5,009. Its COVID-19 hospitalizations dropped by 69 to 815.
The state’s coronavirus cases rose by 2,469, bringing its total since the pandemic began to 302,899. Over the past two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new cases has decreased by 375.4, a decrease of 18.6%, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
“The best news today is that our hospitalizations decreased by 69; but it is disappointing that our deaths because of COVID-19 have now exceeded 5,000 Arkansans,” Gov. Asa Hutchinson said in a statement. “Our heart goes out to those families who have lost loved ones. All of this is a reminder that our actions make a difference.”
The Health Department said 347,806 of the 586,225 doses of the coronavirus vaccine received by the state have been given so far.
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