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Died January 10, 2021.
Berryville High School, Berryville, AR
Substitute Teacher
The death toll attributed to COVID-19 in Carroll County continues to rise, with one additional death reported since last week, bringing the total to 34.
According to data released by the Arkansas Department of Health on Tuesday morning, there have been 2,408 cases of the novel coronavirus reported in the county since the pandemic began, including 2,070 lab-confirmed cases. As of Tuesday, 2,209 were classified as “recovered” and 165 were still considered “active.”
Tuesday’s numbers represented an increase of 121 cases in the county, an average of more than 17 per day, in the past week.
Berryville School District superintendent Owen Powell confirmed last week that a teacher in the district had died from the virus. The district hasn’t released any more details or identified the teacher but posted a Facebook tribute on Jan. 13 to Carlos May-Gamboa.
“Our Bobcat Family has been heartbroken over the recent loss of Mr. Carlos May-Gamboa,” the post on the school district’s Facebook page says. “The students of BHS who entered Mr. May-Gamboa’s classroom were greeted with love, acceptance, joy, and humor. He is greatly missed already. Please remember and pray for his family, his friends, and our Bobcat Family.”
A death notice published Jan. 12 on the Harrison Daily Times website said May-Gamboa died Jan. 10 at North Arkansas Regional Medical Center in Harrison. He was 74. A native of Merida, Mexico, he lived in Harrison, according to the notice.
Statewide, the health department reported an increase of 15,919 in the past seven days, bringing the total number of cases to 272,263, including 219,956 lab-confirmed. To date, 4,343 deaths have been attributed to the virus statewide.
Despite the statewide increases, Gov. Asa Hutchinson last week pointed out some positive signs during his weekly report.
“If you look in the middle right there, you’ll see that we have added 3,209 total cases over the last 24 hours,” Hutchinson said during his Jan. 12 report. “This is down about a thousand, I believe it is, from a week ago. Our testing is higher than it was a week ago. We have 10,600 that’s been tested, both PCR tests and antigen tests. The hospitalizations have decreased by 17, which is some some relief for our hospitals, but with the increase yesterday they before we’re still got a ways to go to give any real relief for our hospitals. That’s still a challenge for us.”
ADH data showed Tuesday that COVID-19 hospitalizations have decreased since last week, falling from 1,371 on Jan. 12 to 1,263, while patients requiring intensive care have fallen from 460 to 410. The number of infected people requiring the aid of a ventilator has also fallen from 268 to 216.
Vaccinations are also continuing across the state. According to health department data released Sunday, more than 131,000 Arkansans have received the vaccines since Dec. 14 at hospitals, long-term care facilities and other health providers, putting the state a bit ahead of schedule.
Hutchinson announced last week that since the vaccination plan was proceeding more rapidly than expected, the state planned to move on to two categories from Phase 1-B, which was initially intended to begin in February, on Monday. The two categories are Arkansans aged 70 and over and educators.
“These vaccines are available through your community pharmacies,” Hutchinson said. “The hospitals are participating in this. When they have the doses available, [people] can call ahead for an appointment, and there will be vaccine clinics and events that may be available in your area. This is a county-by-county approach in terms of the vaccinations, but we’re increasing that opportunity for those to get vaccinated.
“In terms of education, including higher ed and child care, the school districts will drive it.”
The rest of Phase 1-B, which includes food/agricultural workers, firefighters and police not in 1-A, manufacturing workers, grocery store workers, public transit workers, child care workers, U.S. Postal Service workers, and essential government workers, is still scheduled to begin next month. In total, Phase 1-B is expected to include more than 400,000 Arkansans. Phase 1-C is planned for April.
According to the ADH website, local pharmacies participating in the vaccine effort include Economy Drug in Berryville, Harps Pharmacy in Green Forest, Holiday Island Pharmacy, Poynor Drug in Berryville and Smith Drug & Company in Eureka Springs.
“This is working from each county and community to assure that vaccinations are available across the state and not just in one area,” Hutchinson said.