LITTLE ROCK, Ark — Last week, March 11 marked one-year of the first COVID-19 case found in Arkansas. James Black, the first confirmed positive COVID-19 case in Arkansas, shared his astonishing survival story one year later.
On Monday, March 16, Arkansas reported the lowest new COVID-19 cases since early June with 117 new cases.
"We are making great progress in decreasing our new case numbers, but we must continue to get vaccinated," Gov. Hutchinson said of Monday's low numbers. "The best thing each of us can do is get the vaccine when it's our turn.”
Key facts to know:
- 257,449 confirmed cases
- 70,007 probable cases
- 2,084 active confirmed cases
- 827 active probable cases
- 4,387 confirmed deaths
- 1,106 probable deaths
- 257 hospitalizations
- 58 on ventilators
- 251,003 confirmed recoveries
- 68,064 probable recoveries
- 863,880 vaccine doses given
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Tuesday, March 16
Gov. Hutchinson said 10 percent of Arkansas's population has been fully vaccinated.
Effective today, Gov. Hutchinson is expanding eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine to everyone in Phase 1C. The governor said there are nearly 1 million Arkansans in this category.
There are 55% of Arkansans 65 years of age and older that have been partially vaccinated against COVID-19, and 27% have been fully vaccinated, according to Gov. Hutchinson.
The Arkansas Department of Health, there are 396 new COVID-19 cases, 12 more deaths and 303,823 Arkansans have been fully vaccinated.