Although Garland County’s COVID-19 metrics primarily stayed on the same trajectory as the past five weeks, active cases increased to their highest mark in two months.
The Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force is meeting monthly and did not convene this week, but Shelby provided his weekly COVID-19 statistic update electronically to the group.
For the week of May 1-8, there were 18 reported new cases, compared to the previous weeks’ 21 and 12. There were 592 reported tests, for a positivity rate of 3%, compared to previous weeks’ 3.8% and 3.7%. Active cases in the county increased by seven to 37, as of Monday morning, “which is the highest we have seen since March 7, so that is something we need to watch,” said Shelby. For the third straight week, there were no COVID-related deaths recorded.
Representatives from CHI St. Vincent and National Park Medical Center reported there was only one hospitalized COVID-19 patient.
“The state as a whole is seeing increases in number of new and active cases, so we may be starting a bit of that here,” Shelby said.