Arkansas governor: 8 ICU beds open in state

Only eight intensive care unit (ICU) beds were available in Arkansas as of Monday as COVID-19 cases increase in the state and nationwide due largely to the highly infectious delta variant.

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) announced that 103 people were hospitalized in the state on Monday, marking the largest single-day increase in hospitalizations. 

The state reported 995 new cases on Monday and 21 additional deaths, according to Hutchinson.

More than 5,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses were also administered that day.

“Today’s report shows some very startling numbers,” Hutchinson wrote in a tweet announcing the day’s figures.

Today’s report shows some very startling numbers. We saw the largest single-day increase in hospitalizations and have eclipsed our previous high of COVID hospitalizations. There are currently only eight ICU beds available in the state. Vaccinations reduce hospitalizations. pic.twitter.com/zoEvn4XCXo

— Gov. Asa Hutchinson (@AsaHutchinson) August 9, 2021

Arkansas has reported more than 405,000 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began and more than 6,300 deaths, according to The New York Times.

The U.S. is seeing a nationwide increase in COVID-19 infections to a large extent because the delta variant, which is more transmissible than previous versions of the virus, has taken hold as the dominant strain in the country.

The country is now seeing more than 100,000 new cases per day after tracking around 15,000 daily in June. The number of infections started creeping up in July.

The vast majority of hospitalizations and deaths, however, are among unvaccinated individuals. CNN reported last week that roughly 99.99 percent of fully vaccinated Americans who tested positive for the virus, referred to as “breakthrough cases” by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have not required hospitalization or resulted in death.

Hutchinson in his tweet on Monday emphasized the importance of getting vaccinated.

“Vaccinations reduce hospitalizations,” he wrote.

More than 166.6 million Americans are fully inoculated against COVID-19, which translates to 50.2 percent of the population, according to the CDC.

Hutchinson made headlines last week when he said he regrets signing a ban on mask mandates in schools in April. He is now asking the state legislature to overturn the part of the law that says schools are not permitted to decide if they want to implement a mask mandate.

“I signed it for those reasons that our cases were at a low point. Everything has changed now. And yes, in hindsight I wish that had not become law,” he said.