Continuing increases in COVID-19 cases in Carroll County have prompted at least one local hospital to reinstate some of its pandemic protocols.
Eureka Springs Hospital CEO Angie Shaw told members of the hospital commission last week that the recent spike has caused the hospital to reinstate some to the protocols it had relaxed, including masks and barriers in certain areas.
“Over the past several weeks we’ve had 38 positive COVID tests and due to that increase in the community, we have re-implemented some safety back into the facility,” Shaw said. “We added back our plexiglass barriers in all the break areas and cafeteria as well as masks are again required in all non-clinical areas, like office spaces.”
Hospital marketing director Samantha Jones said last week that hospital staff are remaining optimistic, hoping the return to previous protocols wont last long.
“We are staying optimistic about the future but taking precautions to protect staff and patients,” Jones said. “We never stopped masking in patient care areas, and with cases rising, we have returned to masking in all areas of the hospital. We take this very seriously and are doing all we can to reduce transmission.”
Jones said testing is still available at the hospital.
“We take testing by appointment and we take insurance,” Jones said. “Testing is available Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. If you need to get tested on the weekend, check in at the ER.”
Jones did caution that the hospital might have to start charging for tests.
“Our grant funding to administer COVID testing won’t exist forever, so we’ll have to start charging for COVID tests in the near future,” Jones said. “Right now, the funding makes free testing available but that won’t always be the case. As it stands, we are taking insurance for all COVID testing. That is one thing that will not change.”
On Friday, July 1, the Arkansas Department of Health reported 85 active cases of COVID-19 in Carroll County, up from the 77 reported on June 24 and the 59 actives listed on June 17.
No new COVID-related deaths were reported locally, leaving the death toll from the novel coronavirus at 106.
Statewide, the number of deaths increased by 13 since June 24, rising to a reported 11,581 on July 1. The number of active cases in Arkansas stood at 10,141, an increase of 1,256 since June 24, when 10,141 were reported.
The overall case count in Carroll County increased by 40 in seven days — down slightly from the previous week, when 48 new cases were reported — rising to 6,334 since the pandemic began. Statewide, the number of new cases increased by 4,582, an increase of 32,464 cases since April 4.
The two-year pandemic total for Arkansas now stands at 865,592 positive cases, with 842,465 cases listed as “recoveries,” meaning they are no longer being monitored by the health department. In Carroll County, the total number of cases includes 6,143 recoveries, an increase of 34 since June 24.
On July 1, the state health department reported 242 COVID-positive hospital admissions, with 47 in intensive care. Of those, 12 required the aid of a ventilator.
On June 24, the number of hospitalizations was 188, with 32 in intensive care and 10 on a ventilator.
Since the pandemic began, hospitalizations in Arkansas have included 1,437 children under the age of 18 — an increase of 11 in the past week — including 170 who had been in intensive care.
On July 1, the state health department reported 1,406 active cases among children — up from the 1,242 reported June 24 — more than 12.3 percent of the statewide total.
The age group with the most active cases was 65-and-older with 2,378, followed by those 25-34 with 1,840 and those 45-54 with 1,598, all of which are up since June 10. The 35-44 age group is close behind with 1,589 reported active cases.
On the vaccination front, the state health department reported July 1 the number of Arkansans aged 5 and older who are fully vaccinated had increased to 1,621,563 — a total of 113,525 since Jan. 1 — with another 286,059 listed as partially vaccinated and 688,474 listed as having received a thirddose booster.
Combined, those numbers represent ap proximately 67.1 percent of Arkansans aged 5 and older.
In Carroll County, 29,783 doses of the various vaccines had been administered by Jan. 1. As of July 1, that number had increased to a reported 34,619 doses.
According to the state health department, 53 percent of Carroll County residents aged 5 and older have been fully immunized and another 7.2 percent are partially immunized.
“We will have another vaccine clinic in the near future,” Jones said. “We just had our last vaccine clinic June 24, so it will be a few weeks before the next one.”
Jones added that those wishing to be notified of the next vaccine clinic should call 479-253-7400 ext. 4802 or email Samantha. Jones@EurekaSpringsHospital.com.
“We are staying optimistic about the future but taking precautions to protect staff and patients.”
— Samantha Jones, Eureka Springs Hospital marketing director
By the numbers
■■Numbers obtained from Friday’s report issued by the Arkansas Department of Health:
