State covid cases rise by 325; hospitalizations continue climb

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Medical Assistant Keena Wimley administers a covid-19 test Tuesday Nov. 10, 2020, in Little Rock at Philander Smith College during a UAMS testing clinic. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Staton Breidenthal)
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Medical Assistant Keena Wimley administers a covid-19 test Tuesday Nov. 10, 2020, in Little Rock at Philander Smith College during a UAMS testing clinic. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Staton Breidenthal)

Arkansas' count of coronavirus cases rose Wednesday by 325 - a slightly larger increase than the one a week earlier - while the number of people hospitalized in the state with the virus rose for the third day in a row.

The state's death toll from the virus, as tracked by the Department of Health, rose by 14, to 5,507.

“New cases and testing are nearly identical to last week," Gov. Asa Hutchinson said in a statement.

"Our active cases continue to fall with over 400 fewer than last week. These numbers are encouraging, but it's important we get vaccinated. Be patient and the supply will be increasing.”

The number of cases that were added to the state's tallies on Wednesday was eight more than were added the previous Wednesday, March 10.

As a result, the state's average daily increase in cases over a rolling seven-day period rose by just over one, to 297.

The number of people hospitalized with covid-19 rose by three, to 260.

The number of those patients who were on ventilators, however, fell by four, to 54.

After rising a day earlier, the number of virus patients in intensive care units as of 2 p.m. fell by six, to 116.

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