Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson was joined by members of his cabinet to update citizens on the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic on Friday.
Click below to listen to the entire address:
Arkansas reports 990 new COVID-19 cases, 8 additional deaths
LITTLE ROCK. (AP) — Arkansas reported 990 new cases of the coronavirus Friday and eight additional deaths.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson said at a Friday news conference that Arkansan residents need to continue taking precautions as they enter the weekend.
“Wear your mask, make sure that you socially distance … it’s the backyard barbecues, it is the swim parties, it is other things that we’re not careful in that can lead to a spread of this,” Hutchinson added.
The additional cases now bring the state’s total so far to 37,249. 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.
On Thursday, Arkansas reported its second-highest increase in confirmed cases with 1,013.
As of Friday, the state reported 394 deaths.
Meanwhile, the Little Rock area’s transit agency said it had multiple service cuts Friday after being notified that four bus drivers tested positive for the virus. Rock Region Metro officials said more than a dozen other employees who had been in close contact with the drivers were awaiting test results.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.