Peak number of cases unclear for Arkansas

State completes highest number of tests in 24 hours

About 1,400 tests for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) were completed in a 24-hour time span, a record number, Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Sec. of Health Dr. Nate Smith said during their daily press briefing Tuesday.

Smith said of the 1,436 tests completed, commercial labs performed 1,285 of the tests while the Arkansas Department of Health public health lab did 73 high-risk population targeted tests and the University of Arkansas for

Medical Services did 78.

“We are increasing our testing in the state and we are seeing lower positivity rates, even though we’re able to test more people,” Smith said.

Hutchinson said anything can happen down the road, which is why the state is preparing for it the best it can with its current directives and guidelines.

The governor also delved into numbers to show how Arkansas stacks up against other states in the region in hospitalizations, testing and positive cases.

Hutchinson said Ar

kansas has 31.8 cases per 100,000 people while Oklahoma has 35.4, Louisiana has 327.9, Mississippi has 58.6, Missouri has 39.5 and Tennessee has 59.9.

In tests completed, Arkansas has 454.9 per 100,000, compared to Oklahoma’s 73.3, Louisiana’s 1,525.7, Mississippi’s 686.5, Missouri’s 492.2, Tennessee’s 746.1 and Texas’s 339.

In hospitalizations, Arkansas has 2.5 per 100,000, while Oklahoma has 9.1, Louisiana has 39.9, Mississippi has 11.3, Missouri has 7.1, Tennessee has 5.5 and Texas has 3.3.

“I go through that not to say we’re doing a great job or not to say we’re out of the woods yet on this,” Hutchinson said. “But I share this because it should be an encouragement to the people of Arkansas that our targeted approach is working; that what you’re doing in terms of social distancing, wearing a mask, not having gatherings more than 15, that makes a difference in how we get out of this, how soon we get out of this and that we beat that curve.”

The governor also announced the Arkansas Heart Hospital is donating 500 quick tests from Abbot Labs for health care workers.

In his update, Smith said 134 health care workers tested positive for COVID-19, which is an increase of 12 from Monday’s briefing. Sixteen of the workers are physicians, 41 are nurses and 19 are certified nursing assistants (CNAs).

Those tests contribute to Arkansas’ now 946 cases of the virus. Smith also said there were two more deaths, bringing the total to 18 for the state, and Logan and Clay counties are now reporting positive tests for the virus.

Smith said 74 patients are currently hospitalized and 26 are on a ventilator. According to the Arkansas Department of Health’s website, there are 21 cases of COVID-19 in those 17 and younger, 64 in those 18-24, 287 in those 25-44, 338 in those 45-64 and 237 in those 65 and older.

Smith said 152 Arkansans have recovered which is 50 more than yesterday. He also said 148 patients have ever been hospitalized in relation to COVID-19, and both new deaths were from those 65 or older.

After a reporter asked for clarification on how deaths are recorded, Smith said someone’s death is attributed to the person’s place of residence, not the state they died in.

Smith also said 24 inmates at the Federal Corrections Facility in Forrest City, Arkansas, tested positive for the virus along with five staff members. He said a team from the CDC will be on-site today.

He also responded to a question about models for the virus, and said he isn’t sure when Arkansas will peak. According to one model from the University of Washington, it’s possible the peak could be as early as April 24, but there’s no guarantee.

“Because Arkansas was one of the last states to report our first case and because our case growth rate has been relatively low compared with other states, it’s likely our peak may be later than other states,” Smith said. “There’s a very important concept here, though that once we get past the peak, we’re still going to have to be careful we don’t reintroduce the virus and don’t have spread of COVID-19 again.”

Smith said the state is already preparing for that

situation, and that some measures may be continued while others are relaxed to watch for the reintroduction of the virus.

Local numbers

According to the state health department’s website, there are 13 positive cases of COVID-19 in Union County and 126 negative tests.