Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson was joined by members of his cabinet to update citizens on the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic on Wednesday.
Click below to listen to the entire address:
Arkansas reports 2nd highest spike in new virus cases
LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas on Wednesday reported its second-highest increase in new confirmed coronavirus cases and four more deaths from COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.
The Department of Health said at least 25,246 people have tested positive for the virus, an increase of 734 cases since Tuesday. The department said 5,545 of those cases are active, meaning they don’t include people who have died or recovered.
The true number of cases in Arkansas is likely higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick.
Wednesday’s one-day increase was the highest since Arkansas reported 878 new confirmed cases on Thursday. Arkansas’ cases are dramatically higher since the state began allowing businesses that closed because of the pandemic to reopen in May.
Four more people died from COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, bringing the state’s total fatalities to 305. The state’s hospitalizations dropped by 11 to 358.