Bella Vista saw a record 170 new covid-19 cases reported in the week ending Jan. 4, a 30-case increase over the previous week.
This increase brings the city's total case number to 1,112, or roughly 4% of the population, according to the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, a Little Rock-based health policy firm that has been reporting Arkansas covid-19 data by city since August 2020.
Bentonville saw a 419-case increase in the same period, bringing its total to 3,030, while nearby Rogers' case numbers increased by 730, bringing its total to 7,291.
For Benton County as a whole, the Arkansas Department of Health reports 15,604 total cases with 225 deaths and 13,799 recoveries as of Jan. 8.
In nearby Washington County, the department reports 18,566 total cases with 191 deaths and 16,847 recoveries.
The McDonald County Health Department reports 2,186 total cases in the county as of Jan. 10, nine cases new that day. The department reported five hospitalized and 28 deaths, with 1,982 patients released.
Nationwide, the CDC reports 22,322,956 total cases and 373,167 deaths as of 12:16 p.m. Jan. 11.
The CDC also reports growth of confirmed cases by state, with Arkansas showing the third-highest growth rate nationwide -- behind Rhode Island and Arizona -- at 102.3 cases per 100,000 people per day.
The first shipment of covid-19 vaccines arrived in Arkansas on Dec. 14 and weekly shipments are expected.
Bella Vista emergency workers have started receiving covid-19 vaccinations.
City offices remain closed until February 2021.
A mask mandate issued by Gov. Asa Hutchinson on July 20 remains in effect, though Hutchinson has ceased providing daily updates, citing improvements in informational channels available to the public.
The mandate, issued via executive order, requires individuals to wear masks in indoor and outdoor settings where individuals are likely to come within 6 feet of non-household members or potentially face a fine of $100 to $500.