415 new COVID-19 statewide cases, bringing total active cases up to 4,413

(06/17/20)  415 new COVID-19 statewide cases, bringing total active cases up to 4,413  The following stats were shared Wednesday at Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s daily COVID-19 news conference in Little Rock and posted on the Arkansas Department of Health’s website:

  • 13,606 total confirmed cases, up 415 from 12,917 on Tuesday.
  • 4,413 active cases.
  • 8,996 recoveries, up 331 from Tuesday.
  • 197 deaths, up nine from Tuesday.
  • 217 cases requiring hospitalization, up three from Tuesday.
  • 53 cases on a ventilator, up five from Tuesday.
  • 543 cases involving nursing home residents, up 15 from Tuesday.
  • 168 cases in Garland County, up three from Tuesday.
  • 137 recoveries in Garland County, no change from Tuesday.
  • 1 death in Garland County, no change from Tuesday.

Of the 415 new cases, 380 were community cases and 35 were from correctional facilities. There were a total of 7,514 tests completed in the past 24 hours. The counties with the highest number of new cases were Washington (90), Benton (81), Lee (24) and Pulaski (21).

Gov. Hutchinson announced that visitation at long-term care facilities will begin again effective July 1. This will be applicable to nursing homes, assisted living facilities and residential care facilities within the Department of Human Services, and more particularly those that have completed testing and meet the criteria outlined in the guidance from the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH). Some facilities may fall behind the initial date of July 1 if testing is not complete or other guideline preparations have not been met. Outdoor visits are preferred, when possible. Visits will be scheduled in advance and space will be sanitized between each visit. Masks are mandatory. Guidance from ADH will also include expanding activities, beauty salons reopening for residents and communal dining resuming. Facilities may have to halt visitation if new COVID-19 cases appear within the facility.

The team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) visiting the Northwest portion of the state is meeting today with members of the Marshallese community. They are also getting communication out to the Hispanic population and doing a deeper analysis of ADH data.