Increase in Covid cases in EA region mirrors state trend

City plans shot clinic for Aug. 12

An additional 1,220 Covid cases were diagnosed over the past month in this region of the state, according to information provided by the Arkansas Department of Health.

The report also shows that deaths in this region increased by 10, with the most new deaths reported in Phillips County, which saw three residents die of the virus in July. Two new virus deaths were reported in St. Francis and Cross counties last month, while Lee, Monroe and Crittenden counties each reported one additional virus death. No new deaths were reported in Woodruff County during July.

The vaccination rate for those eligible to receive a vaccine is slowly increasing across the region.

In SFC, 40.5% of the county’s eligible population has received at least one dose of a vaccine, with 31.8% reported as fully vaccinated by the Centers for Disease Control in its Sunday update. In Lee County, 30.1% has received one dose, and in Cross County, 41.7% has received one dose.

The monthly numbers provided by the ADH show that during this pandemic, 18,173 cases of Covid have been diagnosed in this region, with 17,076 people recovering from the virus.

To date, 162,559 tests for Covid have been performed throughout the region.

On Sunday, the ADH reported 1,984 new Covid cases, for a total of 388,436 statewide during the pandemic. State health officials also reported on Sunday that 1,139 people were hospitalized with Covid, an increase of 34 from Saturday’s report.

Data recently shared by Forrest City Medical Center officials outlines the lifetime odds of death for selected causes in the U.S., listing causes of death ranging from, among others, heart disease, cancer and respiratory disease to overdoses, suicides, gun assaults, drownings, dog attacks and lightning.

The data shows that the odds of a person dying from Covid is 1 in 545. The odds of a person dying from a Covid-19 vaccine is listed as 1 in 63,495.

Forrest City is planning a second vaccination clinic at the Civic Center on Thursday, Aug. 12, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., for those who received their first vaccine dose on July 22 to return for their second dose. However, the clinic will also offer first doses of the vaccine to anyone over the age of 12, and no appointments are necessary.

“The vaccine numbers are up from last week. If you have concerns about the vaccine, please speak with those you trust to get the facts. The vaccine is saving lives," Gov. Asa Hutchinson said in a tweet on Sunday.