LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas — As of Monday, May 25, Arkansas officials reported 107 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 6,029 positive cases in the state.
Governor Hutchinson announced on Saturday an investigation is being conducted after an applicant accessed the unemployment system and reported a potential data exposure to officials. He was notified Friday night and the system was shut down immediately in order to prevent a data breach.
As of Monday, May 18 all retail stores in Arkansas are open for business, except bars.
Key facts to know:
- 6,029 known positive cases of COVID-19 in Arkansas
- 1,663 active cases
- 117 reported deaths
- 86 hospitalizations
- 4,249 recoveries
Watch Saturday's 1:30 p.m. press conference here:
Monday, March 25
2:15 p.m.
The Arkansas Department of Health updated its COVID-19 website Monday to report 107 new cases, bringing the known total to 6,029 cases in the state.
ADH is also reporting one new death, bringing the total to 117 deaths in Arkansas.
There are currently 1,663 active cases and 4,249 recoveries.
Sunday, May 24
2:15 p.m.:
According to the Arkansas Department of Health, there is now a total of 5,922 positive COVID-19 cases since March 11.
The ADH updated its website to report 147 new cases on Sunday.
Saturday, May 23
1:30 p.m.
Gov. Hutchinson announced during a press conference there were 163 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 5,775 COVID-19 cases in Arkansas.
Five more have been hospitalized, bringing the total to 86. There have been two more deaths, bringing the death toll to 115.
The governor said Arkansas has reached a 'second peak' in cases.
Hutchinson also noted that as of noon on Saturday, nearly 13,000 unemployment claimants in Arkansas have been approved and received their money either by direct deposit or debit card.
The governor announced he is created what he called "The Governor's Techncial Advisory Board," where Dr. Austin Porter III of the Department of Health will be the chairman. The board will help look at new technologies that may help with things such as contact-tracing. The goal is to help build and manage the well-being of Arkansas for the fall.
Dr. Smith provides a breakdown of the numbers:
- 5,775 positive cases
- 1,564 active cases
- 88 in nursing homes
- 967 community spread
- 509 in correctional facilities
- 86 hospitalized
- 17 on ventilators
- 115 deaths
- 3,195 tests in the last 24 hours
- 4,096 recoveries
Friday, May 22
2:00 p.m.
The Arkansas Department of Health released a report on businesses with COVID-19 cases.
In that report, there were 208 total cases in the poultry business. Of the 208 cases, 136 employees are considered active cases.
Nebo Poultry in Yell and Pope counties currently has 48 employees considered as active cases.
Nine businesses have been identified as having five or more active COVID-19 cases. Out of the nine businesses, seven of them are food processing plants.
1:30 p.m.
Gov. Hutchinson announced during a press conference there were 154 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 5,612 COVID-19 cases in Arkansas.
There were 3 new deaths, bringing the total amount of deaths to 113.
Of the 154 new cases, Dr. Smith said 135 cases are in the community and 19 were in prison facilities.
Smith also announced that the Arkansas Department of Health is updating its directive on elective surgeries, which goes into effect Monday.
That update removes restrictions on hospital stays and opens up who is allowed to have surgeries.
The directive still would require testing within 48 hours, but not every procedure won't require a coronavirus test.
Thursday, May 21
2:15 p.m.
In response to a question about reopening and the increase in new cases, Hutchinson said the state has been "measured about lifting" restrictions gradually. He said officials have been careful about staggering the reopening of certain activities and businesses.
Hutchinson said there is concern about the increase in cases, but he said we aren't going to revert Phase One.
"We never did shelter in place, we're not going to go back to it," he said, "we're not going to further shut down our economy."
Hutchinson said he Arkansans will have to "learn to manage this economy."
"We're also going to have to stop the spread of the virus and you've got to do those two things simultaneously."
1:50 p.m.
Dr. Smith broke down the 5,458 coronavirus cases in the state:
- 455 new cases
- 1,433 active cases
- 542 in correctional facilities
- 94 in nursing homes
- 796 in community
- 110 deaths
- 3,915 recoveries
Dr. Nate Smith said 229 of the new positive cases are in correctional facilities and 226 were in the community.
Smith said this huge increase is "largely" due to increased testing in the state. He said in the first three weeks of May they have tested almost as many as the state did in March and April.
Watch Thursday's 1:30 p.m. press conference here:
1:30 p.m.
Gov. Hutchinson announced the largest one-day increase in coronavirus cases in Arkansas. There were 455 new cases bringing the total to 5,458.
There were 3 new deaths, bringing the total to 110 deaths due to COVID-19.
There have been a total of 99,276 COVID-19 tests given in Arkansas with 93,818 coming back negative.
Hutchinson also announced Thursday that high school and community team sports can resume on June 1 and release social distancing guidelines:
Wednesday, May 20
2:45 p.m.
The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance website for those who are self-employed that was taken down due to the possibility of a security breach in the website's code, is now back up. THV11 is working to see if the website is safe to use.
1:30 p.m.
Dr. Nate Smith with the Arkansas Department of Health provided an update to the numbers:
- 5,003 total known cases
- 1,044 active cases
- 85 from nursing homes
- 315 from prisons
- 644 from community spread
- 79 hospitalizations
- 107 total deaths
Smith said there were a total of 4,396 tests on Tuesday with a 1.9% positivity rate among those tests. In May, 44,240 people have been tested.
Since the start, 95,010 people have been tested for coronavirus in Arkansas.
12:50 p.m.
The Arkansas Department of Health released a new COVID-19 case update site, which has reported 80 new positive cases. That brings the total number of known cases to 5,003.
There are currently 1,044 active cases in the state and 3,852 recoveries.
ADH is also reporting 5 new deaths, bringing the total to 107.
Tuesday, May 19
1:40 p.m.
Gov. Hutchinson aims to test every resident and staffer in Arkansas nursing homes starting June 1.
Dr. Nate Smith breaks down the 4,923 COVID-19 cases in Arkansas:
- 1,082 active cases
- 83 in nursing homes
- 369 in prisons
- 630 in community
- 78 hospitalizations
- 14 on ventilators
- 102 deaths
- 3,739 recoveries
1:30 p.m.
In a press conference, Gov. Hutchinson announced 110 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 4,923 positive cases in the state. There were two additional deaths, bringing the total to 102.
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Monday, May 18
1:40 p.m.
Gov. Hutchinson announces bars that are associated and in restaurant facilities can be opened effective May 19. Free standing bars can be opened May 26.
Dr. Nate Smith breaks down the 4,813 COVID-19 cases in Arkansas:
- 54 new positive cases
- 100 deaths
- 1,068 active cases
- 3,645 recoveries
- 77 hospitalizations
- 12 on ventilators
Watch Monday's press conference here:
1:30 p.m.
During a press conference at the Forrest City Civic Center, Gov. Hutchinson announced 54 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 4,813 positive cases in the state.
There were two additional deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 100.
9:20 a.m.
Last week, Gov. Hutchinson said it is not an encouraging sign for quick movement into the second phase of reopening the state after officials have seen large increase of positive cases over the past several days.
"When you see two days of increase in patients and two days of increase in hospitalization, that'll cause you to pause and make sure to remind everyone to be careful," he said.