LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – There are fewer COVID-19 patients is Arkansas hospital beds as the number of hospitalizations from the virus in the state dropped Wednesday for the eighth consecutive day.

Data released from the Arkansas Department of Health shows that hospitalizations are down by seven, bringing the total to 1,090. The number of active cases has also fell for the fourth day in a row, decreasing by 389 to 16,695.

The ADH reports that ICU cases have increased by 18 within the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 450. According to the ADH data, this is the first time ICU cases have increased in five days.

For the first time in four days, ventilators have increased, going up by eight and putting the current total at 289.

The data shows there have been 1,919 new cases of COVID-19 reported within the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases within the state to 479,110.

The number of deaths reported Wednesday was 28, pushing the total to 7,362. It was one year ago that Arkansas passed 1,000 deaths in the pandemic.

Arkansas is continuing to fight the virus by administering an additional 7,557 COVID-19 vaccines since Tuesday. The number of Arkansans fully vaccinated increased by 4,435 to 1,289,806, while the number of residents partially immunized residents slid down to 310,451.