Two from Harrison arrested for murder after body found in church parking lot
Coronavirus in Arkansas: Governor Hutchinson announces new record of positive tests
Posted: Sep 11, 2020 / 01:27 PM CDT / Updated: Sep 11, 2020 / 03:31 PM CDT
MENA, Ark.- Governor Asa Hutchinson announced Friday afternoon that the state has seen a new record high of new cases.
According to Governor Hutchinson, there were 1,107 positive PCR tests and 78 positive antigen tests. That is a total of 1,185 positive tests.
According to Hutchinson, there are 67,911 cumulative cases.
Governor Hutchinson said 225 of the positive PCR tests came from the same lab and one-third of the cases were from last week.
The governor said he expected an increase because of so many days with a low number of cases.
When asked if a large number of cases came from Labor Day activities, Governor Hutchinson said, "Maybe."
The governor said state officials have looked at restaurants in the last two weeks of cases, four percent said they went to restaurants and 13% went to retail stores.
Secretary of Health Dr. José Romero said the counties with the highest number of new cases are Pulaski County (105), Washington County (91), Craighead County (61), Benton County (52), Sebastian County (51), Crawford County (35), Faulkner County (25) and Garland County (24).
Hutchinson announced Friday 13 additional people have died from the virus in Arkansas, bringing the total to 953.
The governor said the number of people hospitalized due to COVID-19 in Arkansas remained at 392.
Dr. Romero said there are 76 people on ventilators in the state due to the virus, which is a decrease of three.
Governor Hutchinson said 7,801 PCR tests and 459 antigen tests were completed Thursday.
Hutchinson said the positivity rate from antigen tests Thursday is 20.5%.
During Friday's news briefing in Mena, Governor Hutchinson said there are 16 active cases in Polk County with two additional cases announced with a 6.9% positivity rate.
Governor Hutchinson said 13% of today's cases are from college campuses.
On Thursday, Governor Hutchinson announced Friday's briefing will be the last daily news briefing.
You can watch the news conference above.
KC Blitz / 2 mins ago
More Regional News Stories
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- The next phase of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout plan began Monday with Phase 1-B which will allow Arkansans aged 70 and older and education workers to receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Governor Hutchinson received a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and says that today is a critical step in the rollout plan as Arkansas enters into phase 1-B.
by AJ Davidson / Jan 18, 2021
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Following Patrick Mahomes' concussion on Jan. 17, Ozarks First reached out to the administrative director of Mercy sports medicine, Jim Raynor, hoping to get a better picture of what happened on the field.
"There's a misnomer out there that a concussion has to be a result of a direct blow," Raynor said. "There is also another mechanism of injury when there is a significant twisting or turning or glancing of the head and there's a disruption of the brain inside."
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas on Monday expanded its distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine to teachers and people aged 70 or older.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is 70, is set to get his first dose of the vaccine Monday afternoon.
Nixa Police investigate fatal shooting Monday morning, victim identified