The upswing of covid-19 cases in Arkansas continued Saturday with 708 new recorded cases of the virus, 98 more than the previous Saturday's increase, according to data from the Arkansas Department of Health.
The state added 4,963 new cases and 1,926 active, or currently infectious, cases in the past week.
Active cases jumped 358 to 8,491 on Saturday after crossing 8,000 on Friday for the first time since Feb. 23, according to the data.
However, no new deaths from covid-19 were reported for the third day in a row, keeping the death toll at 11,533. The Health Department recorded 16 new deaths of the virus in the past week.
The number of Arkansans hospitalized with covid-19 dropped Thursday and Friday but rose by eight on Saturday, totaling 189. Even with the decreases, 35 more people were hospitalized Saturday than a week earlier.
One person was admitted to intensive care with the virus, bringing the state's total to 27 Saturday, four more than a week earlier.
The number of covid-19 patients on ventilators remained at nine for the third day in a row, according to Health Department data.
On Saturday, 1,408 covid-19 vaccines were distributed in Arkansas, and 939 were booster shots.
According to the data, 7,924 shots were given in the past week, 2,322 fewer than the previous week.
According to Health Department data, 1,619,509 Arkansans are fully vaccinated against covid-19, and 680,839 booster shots have been given.
Starting next week, Pfizer and Moderna covid-19 vaccines will be available for children between 6 months and 5 years of age, after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave the green light Saturday.
Children ages 5 to 11 have been eligible for the shots since November.