FRIDAY, SEPT. 18: Five things to know about covid-19 in Arkansas

As our state deals with the spread of covid-19 in the midst of a global outbreak, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette will publish five things you need to know each week. We’ll be publishing these round-ups in English and Spanish. You can read our full coverage at arkansasonline.com/coronavirus/. Coronavirus coverage pertaining to crucial public health information will be available for all readers.

• Arkansas has confirmed 71,614 total cases of covid-19 since the pandemic began, according to data posted Sept. 18. State health officials also have reported 1,018 total confirmed deaths and 65,941 recoveries.

• The state recently began posting data on “probable” deaths and cases connected to the virus, in addition to confirmed cases. Probable cases include positives from antigen tests, which are less accurate than molecular tests. Probable deaths include those whose infections are diagnosed with antigen tests and people whose death certificates list covid-19 as a contributing factor even though they were never tested. The state had 148 probable deaths and 1,597 total probable cases as of Friday.

• At the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Chancellor Joe Steinmetz announced Sept. 16 the Sept. 21 end of the suspension of on-campus events. The suspension, imposed Sept. 4, was to slow the spread of covid-19, and active cases have since dropped from more than 900 to 305 as of Sept. 16.

• The latest projections from the University of Arkansas for Medical Science forecasts hundreds more deaths in Arkansas over the next month and a half because of covid-19. Hutchinson urged Arkansans to take precautions such as wearing masks and staying six feet apart from people outside their households.

• Hutchinson announced Sept. 15 that the state had received enough kits to test 12,000 Arkansans using 200 antigen testing machines the state purchased in July. With the new kits, the state is set to distribute testing machines to all of its county health units.

SPANISH: arkansasonline.com/news/2020/sep/18/viernes-18-de-septiembre-cinco-hechos-importantes-/

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