States with lower vaccination rates are more vulnerable to the delta variant. In Arkansas, coronavirus cases reached a new high for the second day since the winter. 

Arkansas on Thursday reported its largest single-day increase in coronavirus cases for the second time in a row in four months amid urging from Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) for residents to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

The state recorded 700 new infections Thursday, up from the 686 new cases the day before, according to a state department of health graphic Hutchinson tweeted Thursday.

The state also reported 12 new coronavirus-related hospitalizations Thursday, bringing the total to 337, though Arkansas recorded no new fatalities due to the virus.

Since the start of the pandemic, Arkansas has had a total of more than 350,000 infections, with 5,909 deaths as a result of COVID-19, according to the health department.

Hutchinson in his tweet said that while the “past two days have seen some of the highest reports for vaccine distribution in a while, our hospitalizations and new cases continue to rise.”

“Delays in getting vaccinated allow the Delta Variant to spread,” he added. “Let’s get the first shot before the weekend of the 4th starts.”