On Thursday, May 28, state officials reported the highest increase in COVID-19 community cases in Arkansas to date with an additional 261 cases. This brings the cumulative number of cases in Arkansas to 6,538 cases.
More than 40 percent of the new community cases were in Benton and Washington County in Northwest Arkansas.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson reported that hospitalizations have declined by four, with 104 hospitalized with 27 on a ventilator. The number of deaths has increased to 125, up five from yesterday.
There are 1,830 cases considered active with 1,385 in the community, 374 in correctional facilities and 71 in nursing homes. Currently, there are 4,583 who have recovered.
The state has conducted 2,966 COVID-19 tests within the past 24 hours which had a 3.9 percent positivity rate. During the month of May, 67,500 COVID-19 tests have been conducted so far.
Secretary of Health Dr. Nate Smith provided details on the new community cases. Benton County had 85 cases, Washington County had 25 cases, Pulaski County had 22 cases, Crittenden County had 17 cases, Craighead County had 12 cases and Severe County had 11 cases.
“There seem to be rapid increases in our Latino communities, particularly in the northwest part of the state,” Smith said.
He noted that 85 percent of the new cases are from the Latino community within Benton County. Furthermore, the city of Rogers had 76 percent of the new cases in Benton County. In Washington County, 40 percent of the new cases were within the Latino community. The city of Springdale had 80 percent of the new cases in Washington County.
The state has more testing events planned in northern Arkansas within the next week and will be increasing its outreach efforts to the minority population regarding COVID-19.
Smith also indicated that more new cases are arising in younger ages.
The average age for the new cases in Benton County is 40 with a range in ages from 3 to 72. Washington County has a similar average age for new cases at 38 with a range in ages from 3 to 78. In Craighead County, with all of the new cases coming from Jonesboro, the average age is 26.
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