The Arkansas Department of Health’s (ADH) weekly respiratory disease report released Thursday shows the intensity level is down slightly while the school absenteeism rate is up slightly again this week.
The scale has three levels of very high, three levels of high, two levels of moderate, two levels of low and three levels of minimal. This week’s level is the highest level of the low level. Last week the level was in the lowest level of the moderate category.
Twenty new deaths were attributed to the flu last week in Arkansas and 146 flu deaths have been reported since Sept. 29.
There were 72 deaths reported the past week by the ADH due to pneumonia in the state.
Nine new COVID-19 deaths were reported this past week. There have been 105 COVID deaths since the first of the year.
For the week ending this past Saturday, March 15, the ADH reported 110 new flu-related hospitalizations in Arkansas and 48 new COVID-19 hospitalizations.
Forty seven influenza outbreaks have been reported at nursing homes or other congregate setting institutions so far this flu season, up one from last week.
The report also provides the percentage of students absent in each county for the week. Here are the counties in north central Arkansas and their absenteeism rate:
Baxter – 6.29 (last week was 5.43)
Marion – 8.08 (last week was 6.50)
Fulton – 7.31 (last week was 7.29)
Izard – 8.10 (last week was 8.27)
Stone – 6.31 (last week was 5.80)
Searcy – 9.42 (last week was 7.59)
Boone – 7.04 (last week was 6.85)
Newton – 6.38 (last week was 5.98)
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