Arkansas' count of coronavirus cases rose Tuesday by 1,875 - the biggest one-day new case total in more than five months - as the number of people hospitalized with covid-19 in the state topped 800 for the first time since early February.
For the first time in more than a week, however, the state didn't report any new covid-19 deaths.
The death toll, as tracked by the Department of Health, remained at 6,007.
"The good news is that we have no new deaths in today’s covid report, but the increase in hospitalizations and active cases is a trend we must turn around," Gov. Asa Hutchinson said in a tweet.
"The increase in cases will only stop when we follow guidelines and get the vaccine shot. The vaccine keeps people alive."
Excluding 2,932 cases that were added to Arkansas' count as part of a "data cleanup" on Feb. 28, the increase in cases on Tuesday was the largest in a single day since Feb. 4.
The average number of cases added to the state's tallies each day over a rolling seven-day period rose to 1,151, its highest level since the week ending Feb. 11.
The number of people hospitalized with covid-19 rose by 28, to 815, its highest level since Feb. 4.
The number who were on ventilators rose by two, to 131, its highest level since Feb. 10.
The number in intensive care rose by 22, to 313, its highest level since Jan. 27. It was the first time since early February the number had topped 300.
Already at its highest level since Feb. 14, the number of cases that were considered active rose by 970, to 11,475, as new cases outpaced recoveries.
Meanwhile, Health Department figures continued to show an uptick in the state's vaccinations.
At 7,508, the increase in doses providers reported having administered, including second doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, was bigger by more than 1,900 than the increase a week earlier.
Already at its highest level since late May, the average number of doses administered each day over a rolling seven-day period rose to 6,559.