ARKANSAS, USA — Arkansas COVID-19 cases went up by another 1,400 on Wednesday (July 21). The Delta variant of the virus spreading quickly in the state is causing health leaders to plead with Arkansans to get vaccinated.
COVID hospitalizations in Arkansas have quadrupled since June. Over the last 24 hours, an additional 33 patients are being treated in COVID units, and 25 were placed on ventilators.
July 21, 2021, COVID-19 Case Report (all data confirmed through ADH):
- Total Cases: 368,466 (+1,495)
- Total Active Cases: 11,903 (+428)
- Total Deaths: 6,020 (+13)
- Hospitalized: 848 (+33) 131 on ventilators (+25)
- Eligible Arkansans Fully Vaccinated: 1,031,367 (+2,666) 40.44% of the population
Hospitals are scrambling to prepare for the effects the third wave of the virus will have on health systems. Washington Regional announced that it was entering Phase 2 of their COVID-19 Surge Plan and that all employees will need to be vaccinated by Oct. 1.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson will be in Siloam Springs on Friday, July 30, in part of his Community COVID Conversations tour. He will field questions from citizens and combat misinformation surrounding COVID-19 vaccines.
Oklahoma reported over 1,000 COVID-19 cases for the second time in a week on Wednesday. Health officials there are worried about the spread of the Delta variant due to low vaccination rates and an uptick in cases in Arkansas and Missouri.
Arkansans who are vaccinated still contracting COVID-19, referred to as breakthrough cases, are confusing people hesitant to get the shots. Health leaders still say that most COVID patients hospitalized are unvaccinated and that the vaccine doesn't mean you will not contract the virus, just that the symptoms will not be life-threatening in most cases.