LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Last Friday, Arkansas saw the highest number of new COVID-19 cases Arkansas has seen since the pandemic began. The state also completed the highest number of tests in one day with over 11,000.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told health officials at the Arkansas Department of Health to start getting ready for a COVID-19 vaccine by November.
Dr. Jennifer Dillaha and the rest of the team at ADH were told this at the beginning of August. Nine vaccines are in phase three trials, which is the last step before approval.
(Eds. note: This article was last updated on Monday, Sept. 14.)
Key facts to know:
- 69,449 known positive cases of COVID-19 in Arkansas
- 5,719 active cases
- 986 reported deaths
- 378 hospitalizations
- 76 on ventilators
- 62,740 recoveries
Sunday, September 13
The Arkansas Department of Health has confirmed 508 new COVID-19 cases throughout the state, along with 12 more deaths from the virus.
Saturday, September 12
3:30 p.m.
The Arkansas Department of Health confirms 631 new positive coronavirus cases in the state, bringing the total to 68,542. There have been 11 more deaths within 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 964.
There are currently 5,755 confirmed active cases in Arkansas. The department reports 62,622 have recovered.
Watch Gov. Hutchinson reflect on the first six months of the pandemic:
Friday, September 11
1:40 p.m.
Dr. Jose Romero broke down the new COVID-19 cases by county:
- Pulaski 105
- Washington 91
- Craighead 61
- Benton 52
- Sebastian 51
- Jefferson 47
- Crawford 35
- Faulkner 25
- Garland 24
1:30 p.m.
There are 1,107 new coronavirus cases in Arkansas and 13 more deaths. This is the highest number of new COVID-19 cases in a 24-hour period.
"This is something that I actually expected," Gov. Hutchinson said of the record-high number. "When you have a number of lower days, we expected a spike at some point. We'll see where it goes from here."
There are no new hospitalizations.
Gov. Hutchinson reported 7,801 people were tested over the last 24 hours. There were also 459 antigen tests given in the last 24 hours, with 78 positives.
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Thursday, September 10
1:40 p.m.
Dr. Jose Romero broke down the new COVID-19 cases by county:
- Pulaski 72
- Washington 37
- Jefferson 33
1:30 p.m.
Governor Hutchinson announced that Friday, September 11 will be the last daily COVID-19 update. It will then switch to a weekly update. The next update after Friday should be Tuesday, Sept. 15.
There are 398 new coronavirus cases in Arkansas and 12 more deaths. There is no clustering. Three of the deaths were delayed reports — three from nursing home and one from correctional.
There was a 19-person decrease in hospitalizations.
Gov. Hutchinson reported 4,900 people were tested over the last 24 hours.
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Wednesday, September 9
1:40 p.m.
Dr. Jose Romero broke down the new COVID-19 cases by county:
- Washington 42
- Pulaski 31
- Benton 24
- Jefferson 23
- Craighead 21
1:30 p.m.
The governor said when this pandemic started six months ago, Arkansas could only do about 20 tests per day. Now, the state can do 3,000 in our public health lab.
Gov. Hutchinson announced the Arkansas Department of Health is partnering with Baptist Health to increase capacity by 20%. Under this partnership, 50% of tests will go to Baptist Health. ADH is providing a machine for Baptist Health to operate 24 hours a day.
There are 384 new coronavirus cases in Arkansas and 11 more deaths. Seven of those deaths were in nursing homes. There are two clusters: one in Beebe, other in El Dorado.
There was a 2-person increase in hospitalizations.
Gov. Hutchinson reported 5,208 people were tested over the last 24 hours. There were also 699 antigen tests given in the last 24 hours, with 114 positives. That's a positivity rate of 15.4 percent.
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Tuesday, September 8
1:40 p.m.
Gov. Hutchinson said the state is ready to send the $300 additional pandemic assistance, authorized by President Trump's by executive order.
"We're ready to send it, one week at a time, because we're unsure of the funding stream for it," said Gov. Hutchinson.
The Arkansas unemployment claims are now 7.1 percent, as the state sees a drop. For seven weeks has now seen a drop.
- 83,000 on unemployment
- 41,000 on traditional
- 42,000 on pandemic unemployment
Dr. Jose Romero broke down the new COVID-19 cases by county:
- Cross 30
- There is a COVID-19 outbreak in a nursing home.
- Washington 29
- Pulaski 28
1:30 p.m.
Arkansas is joining multi-state purchasing agreement led by Rockefeller Foundation and the Governor Association, in order to purchase larger volume of antigen tests. The Arkansas Department of Health worked with a procurement team to follow up and has received $4 million to purchase 120,000 antigen tests as result. The state will use the CARES Act funding that is already approved to provide this — no state funds.
There are 294 new coronavirus cases in Arkansas and 9 more deaths. One of the deaths is a delayed reporting from last month.
There was a 10-person increase in hospitalizations.
Gov. Hutchinson reported 5,154 people were tested over the last 24 hours.
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Monday, September 7
9:30 p.m.
Dunbar Middle School will be closed Tuesday, September 8, for onsite instruction after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19.
6 p.m.
The university is reporting 923 active COVID-19 cases. Of those, 912 are students, two are graduate students, three are faculty and six are staff.
4 p.m.
On Monday, the governor posted the new COVID-19 case numbers on Twitter. There are 350 new COVID-19 cases in Arkansas with 6,057 tests completed.
"We’ve seen improved case numbers this weekend with good testing numbers," the governor said, "but the real report card will be the coming two weeks."
2 p.m.
Below are hospitalization numbers from Monday as reported to us by hospitals and as of 2 p.m. each day.
Current hospitalizations: 399
Total Beds: 9,111
Total Beds Available: 2,841
Total ICU Beds: 1,011
Total ICU Beds Available: 163
Total Vents: 1,056
Total Vents Available: 768
Total Covid patients in ICU: 189
Total Covid patients on vents: 74