(05/07/20) Arkansas COVID-19 cases up to 3,665; casinos can reopen on May 18 at 33% The following stats were shared Thursday at Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s daily COVID-19 news conference in Texarkana and posted on the Arkansas Department of Health’s website:
- 3,665 total confirmed cases, up 97 from 3,568 on Wednesday.
- 710 active cases, down 664 from Wednesday due to re-analysis and reclassification.
- 2,867 recoveries, up 758 from Wednesday.
- 88 deaths, up three from Wednesday.
- 70 cases requiring hospitalization, up one from Wednesday.
- 14 cases on a ventilator, no change from Wednesday.
- 266 nursing home residents infected, up two from Wednesday.
- 117 cases in Garland County, no change from Wednesday.
- 111 recoveries in Garland County, no change from Wednesday.
- 1 death in Garland County.
Hutchinson announced that the state’s three gaming casino will be able to open on May 18 at 33% capacity and with stringent social distancing requirements in place. The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) has been working closely with the industry, and the ADH will release in the next day the full list of guidelines for this phase of the casino reopening.
Yesterday was one of the three highest testing capacity days the state has had so far with a total of 2,174 test results received. To meet the goal of 60,000 in the month of May, which equates to around 2% of the state’s population, Dr. Nate Smith said he hopes the daily average moving forward will be around 2,000.
Smith shared that the state received positive feedback from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield in terms of maintaining low case numbers. “He was very pleased especially since not only have our numbers remained low and heading in the right direction, but, through this, we never did have to shut [the economy] down,” said Smith.