Gov. Asa Hutchinson reported 912 new COVID-19 cases with 754 in the community and 158 in correctional facilities, bringing the cumulative number of cases to 46,293.
Chicot County had the highest number of new cases with 149, but the majority, if not all, are from the Delta Regional Unit. Pulaski County followed behind with 79, Sebastian County with 51, Washington County with 42, Mississippi County with 35, Garland County with 29, Craighead County with 28, Saline County with 26, Pope County with 24, both Ashely and Crittenden counties had 21 and Benton County had 20.
According to the newly appointed Secretary of Health Dr. Jose Romero, there are 38,848 recoveries and 6,937 active cases with 6,336 in the community, 513 in correctional facilities and 88 in nursing homes.
The number of hospitalizations has decreased by 10 to 516, but the number of deaths has increased by 18 to 508.
Hutchinson brought attention to the updated COVID-19 modeling by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) that was released yesterday (Aug. 4). Based on data from the Arkansas Department of Health through July 30, the UAMS model projected nearly 55,000 cases by Aug. 10 and 543 deaths by Aug. 15.
“I’m putting this out there because it shows what could happen and what we want to make sure doesn’t happen and that depends upon our behavior, it depends upon our wearing masks and social distancing, continuing to take this seriously…”
The governor said that UAMS will most likely provide “longer-term projections” in the next coming weeks.
“I look at those projections and I say ‘let’s see what we can do to beat those projections and be sure that doesn’t become reality on the ground,” he said.
Hutchinson also announced that the Arkansas Department of Health has released a new directive for community and school sponsored music to return.
“This is a risk area, so the guidelines provide a number of different protective measures in order to protect the students and those that are around and the staff as well,” he said. “This gives them an opportunity to mitigate, to work through this, but also to be able to share the music that they enjoy and love.”
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