Arkansas COVID-19

Another 160 known community cases of COVID-19 were reported Saturday, with 27% of those in Northwest Arkansas. Of the cases found since March 11, 13.4% have been in the past three days. 

Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Saturday during his COVID-19 briefing the state is in a second peak of positive cases. The first peak was around April 25.

“It’s clear and evident to me … we’ve had a deep dip and then we’re having a second peak right now and they’re really about 30 days apart,” Gov. Hutchinson said.

Arkansas has added 154 new coronavirus cases to its total following a record increase Thursday with three more deaths from COVID-19 bringing the state’s number of deaths to 113.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced the uptick at a press briefing Friday, saying the state has 5,612 total cases of the coronavirus with 1,470 considered active and 81 people hospitalized.

Hutchinson said certain factors, like the average positivity rate for coronavirus tests, point to the state being able to move to a second phase of lifting restrictions over the summer.

Arkansas has seen the largest single-day increase in new coronavirus cases since the pandemic began as three more deaths from COVID-19 brings the state’s death toll to 110.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced Thursday the state saw 455 new positive test results for the virus, bringing the total number of people who have ever tested positive to 5,458.

Speaking in his daily briefing on the pandemic, Hutchinson said he would not reinstate business restrictions because of the increase.

Five more Arkansans have died from the disease caused by the coronavirus as the state’s total number of cases reaches 5,003.

Officials with the Arkansas Department of Health on Wednesday said four nursing home residents were among the state’s latest COVID-19 deaths, while 1,044 cases remain active.

Speaking during a press briefing at the Health Department, Health Secretary Dr. Nate Smith said Wednesday’s increase of 80 new cases was dispersed fairly evenly across the state.

The number of new coronavirus cases in Arkansas communities has increased for a fourth consecutive day as the state nears 5,000 people who have tested positive.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced Tuesday that Arkansas saw two new deaths from COVID-19, bringing the state’s death toll to 102, while the total number of coronavirus cases has risen to 4,923.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson says the last businesses still closed due to the coronavirus pandemic can soon reopen even as the number of deaths from COVID-19 in Arkansas reached 100 on Monday.

This comes as Hutchinson says the Federal Bureau of Investigation is probing a possible security breach of the state’s online system for self-employed Arkansans to file for unemployment benefits.

As COVID-19 has disrupted plans and normalcy for workplaces, schools and public life over the last few months, it also brought a halt to long-discussed outreach efforts in Arkansas for the U.S. Census. But as businesses reopen, so too resumes a campaign to get residents to participate.

In 2019, Gov. Asa Hutchinson created the 2020 Complete Count Committee in an effort to maximize the accuracy this year. The committee, chaired by Fort Smith Mayor George McGill, is working to increase awareness of the census across the state.

Nearly all retail businesses forced to close due to the coronavirus pandemic can reopen by Monday as the number of people testing positive in Arkansas continues to rise.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced Friday the state has a total of 4,463 coronavirus cases, an increase of 97 new cases since Thursday. The state’s death toll from COVID-19 remained unchanged Friday at 98.

The number of new coronavirus cases and people hospitalized with COVID-19 has risen for a second day in Arkansas as the state nears 100 deaths from the disease.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced an increase of 130 new cases Thursday, bringing the state’s total to 4,366. One additional death from COVID-19 brought the state’s death toll to 98.

Speaking in his daily briefing on the pandemic, Hutchinson said businesses in the state are not yet ready to enter a second phase of reopening.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson says Arkansas does not need additional federal funding to lessen the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the state’s economy.

This comes as the number of coronavirus cases rose by 72 Wednesday for a total of 4,236, while two more COVID-19 deaths brought the state’s total to 97.

Speaking in his daily briefing on the outbreak, Hutchinson said the $1.25 billion the state has received from the federal CARES Act is enough to bridge an expected loss in state revenue of over $200 million.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson says a lack of coronavirus testing at a federal prison is to blame for a sharp uptick in new cases in eastern Arkansas.

Speaking at his daily briefing Tuesday, Hutchinson announced 121 more people have tested positive for the virus in the state, bringing the total to 4,164. Another person has died, he said, with the death toll now at 95.

Restaurants in Arkansas are welcoming a limited number of patrons back to their dining rooms as over 4,000 people in the state have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced Monday the state has seen a total of 4,043 people test positive for the virus, while 94 have died from COVID-19. The totals reflect an increase of three deaths over the weekend, and 59 new cases since Saturday.

The state legislature has approved new funding for grants to small businesses and direct payments to healthcare workers in Arkansas. This comes as the number of people testing positive for the coronavirus rose by 82 Friday, bringing the state’s total to 3,747.

Speaking during his daily press briefing, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said lawmakers approved funding for bonus payments to non-physician direct care workers in hospitals, as well as healthcare workers who don’t have contact with patients.

Arkansas continues to see the number of new coronavirus cases rising each day as the state nears 90 deaths from COVID-19.

Speaking with reporters in Texarkana Thursday, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said the state added 97 new positive cases, with 30 of those coming from prisons in the state. In total, the state has 3,665 coronavirus cases with three additional COVID-19 deaths bringing the death toll to 88.

The coronavirus pandemic has made physical health a priority for communities across the country. While social distancing is key in the fight to control the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, decreased social contact and significant changes to everyday life bring another priority for health professionals to respond to: mental health. 

Humans are social animals and seek interactions with others. With the onset of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s social distancing guidelines, normal interactions have become more difficult.  

A sixth state prison inmate from the Cummins Unit in southeast Arkansas has died of COVID-19. Dr. Nate Smith, secretary of the state Department of Health, made the announcement at Wednesday's press briefing, adding that 876 prisoners there and 54 staffers have tested positive for the virus.

With Arkansas school buildings closed because of the coronavirus outbreak, state education officials and Arkansas PBS are partnering to bring lessons to students’ homes. The Alternative Methods of Instruction program (AMI) was originally intended to be a short-term solution for things like snow days, providing packets of material for students to work on at home.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson says a delayed response from the federal government is to blame for a sharp uptick in COVID-19 cases at an Arkansas prison.

This comes as a total of 3,496 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Arkansas, while 83 have died from COVID-19.

Speaking in his daily coronavirus briefing Tuesday, Hutchinson said the number of inmates and staff testing positive at the Federal Correctional Institution, Forrest City has increased by 92, for a total of 264 cases.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson is allowing places of worship and large outdoor venues to reopen today as 81 people in Arkansas have died from COVID-19.

Hutchinson announced at a daily press briefing Monday the state had seen five new deaths from the disease along with a total of 3,458 people who have tested positive for the coronavirus.

As gyms and fitness centers also reopen Monday, and with hair salons and restaurants set to reopen by next week, Hutchinson said he does expect some new infections to result from a loosening of restrictions on businesses.