Arkansas COVID-19 cases up 77 to 1,171

(04/10/20) Arkansas COVID-19 cases up 77 to 1,171  At Governor Asa Hutchinson’s daily COVID-19 press conference, the following updates as of 1:30 p.m. were shared:

• 1,171 total confirmed cases (up 77 from 1,094 on April 9)
• 836 active cases, which discounts recoveries and deaths
• 86 COVID-19 patients in the hospital (up 13); there were 23 newly hospitalized, while 10 were discharged from the hospital
• 33 patients currently on a ventilator (up two)
• 23 COVID-19-related deaths (up two)
• 312 COVID-19 patients recovered (up 59)
• 168 healthcare workers with COVID-19 (up 10)

Hutchinson shared several two COVID-19-related graphs. Two weeks ago, the projection would have brought us to 3,500 statewide infections, “but Arkansans have beat that,” he said. The University of Washington projection estimating hospital bed usage had the April 10 total at 200, yet the actual number has proven much lower. Hutchinson said that he and Dr. Nate Smith had a conversation and briefing with Dr. Anthony Fauci, and that Fauci gave his stamp of approval with the steps the state has taken and the optimistic results.

Hutchinson shared that Arkansas has lost its first state employee to COVID-19. Richard Richardson was a substance abuse counselor for Community Corrections, and “he served our state well.”

Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston said that the number of unemployment claims are up to approximately 132,000, which is a little slower than the pace that was recorded last week. Anyone who filed in the weeks ending on March 21 or March 28 should have already received their unemployment compensation, as well as their additional pandemic compensation from the federal government. For those who filed on the week ending on April 4 should expect the deposit on Monday.