Arkansas coronavirus cases near 4,000; 173 positive tests at Forrest City prison

In this file photo Dr. Nate Smith, Secretary of Health, answers questions as Gov. Asa Hutchinson looks on during a press briefing on Wednesday, April 8, 2020, at the state Capitol in Little Rock. 
(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Thomas Metthe)
In this file photo Dr. Nate Smith, Secretary of Health, answers questions as Gov. Asa Hutchinson looks on during a press briefing on Wednesday, April 8, 2020, at the state Capitol in Little Rock. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Thomas Metthe)

The total number of covid-19 cases in Arkansas rose by 237 to 3,984 on Saturday, largely because of additional reporting of test results from the federal prison in Forrest City, officials said at Gov. Asa Hutchinson's briefing.

Two additional people have died, bringing the state's reported count of covid-19 deaths to 90.

The state's number of active cases, which excludes individuals who have recovered from covid-19 or who have died, was 837 as of Saturday, Arkansas Department of Health Secretary Dr. Nate Smith said. Of these active cases, Smith said 275 are in correctional facilities, 88 are in nursing homes and 474 are in the community.

Sixty-four people have been hospitalized, the same number as Friday, officials said.

Of the 237 new cases reported on Saturday, 173 were from the federal prison in Forrest City and 64 were from the community, Smith said.

There was a lag time between when officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tested inmates at the Forrest City prison and when those 173 new positive cases were formally entered into the Arkansas Department of Health's case count, Smith said.

"Now, these are not new cases that occurred or were diagnosed in the last 24 hours. These actually had been tested by the CDC and there was a few days' delay in getting those results," Smith said.

Two prisons in Arkansas have been stricken by coronavirus outbreaks. According to the Arkansas Department of Health, 301 inmates at the federal prison in Forrest City have tested positive for covid-19 along with 14 staff members. At the Cummins Unit state prison in Lincoln County, 876 inmates and 54 staff have tested positive.

No new counties reported covid-19 cases, Smith said.

On Saturday, Hutchinson also addressed a discrepancy between directives reopening casinos versus other large indoor venues.

He announced that "for consistency purposes, as well as being fair," the state will revise a prior plan and allow all indoor and outdoor venues, not just casinos, to operate at one-third capacity after May 18. If one-third capacity means the venue can host more than 50 people, the facility must submit a detailed written plan to the Department of Health for approval, Hutchinson and Smith explained.

On Thursday, Hutchinson had said casinos were going to be allowed to reopen on May 18 at one-third capacity. But in a separate directive earlier this week, the Arkansas Department of Health had said large indoor venues such as arenas, stadiums, movie theaters and bowling alleys would be allowed to reopen later this month with no more than 50 people, potentially allowing casinos to host more people than other venues.

The directives will be posted by early next week, Smith said.

Commenting on the sunny and warm weather in central Arkansas on Saturday, Hutchinson said he hopes residents are enjoying the outdoors, but encouraged them to remain "on the safe side" by continuing to wear a mask and practicing social distancing.

"These are the days that it's tempting just to say, 'Well, everything's back to normal, we don't have to worry about anything,'" he said.

"The virus does not take any days off," Hutchinson added. "The virus is still out there."

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the date of the reported number of active cases.

EARLIER

Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Dr. Nate Smith, Health Department secretary, will speak on the state's response to covid-19 at 1:30 p.m. Watch live below.

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