UPDATE:
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.- All 12 presumptive cases of the coronavirus in Arkansas are now confirmed, according to the Arkansas Department of Health’s website.
ADH reports there are cases in Saline, Pulaski and Jefferson counties.
According to the website, as of Saturday, there are 26 people being tested and 208 people being monitored by the ADH.
Sixty-five tests have come back with negative results, according to the ADH.
UPDATE:
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — In the press conference today Governor Asa Hutchinson announced there have been 3 new presumed positive cases in Arkansas which brings the total to 12 presumed positive cases.
All three of the new cases are in connection to the first presumed positive case in Pine Bluff.
The National Guard has been activated; along with backlogs to call centers filled with help of EMT’s and National Guard.
Arkansas Department of Emergency Management is activated to level 1.
Dr. Nate Smith spoke today in the press conference about how they are expecting more cases and they are preparing for that.
Dr. Smith also said that a commercial lab from out-of-state is helping with testing.
He says they hope to get results next week.
Dr. Smith said in the conference that they are monitoring over 200 people right now, and they are using the ADH lab to help get a quick turnaround on testing.
Dr. Smith confirmed that the three new cases were original caretakers for first patient in Pine Bluff.
Governor Asa Hutchinson came back to say that there is more testing that needs to be done and as we get more testing capacity they will broaden criteria for testing.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and Dr. Nathaniel Smith, Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Health, will provide an update to media this afternoon regarding Arkansas’s coronavirus (COVID-19) response.
The press conference will go live at 1:30 p.m.
