Amid an uptick in new coronavirus cases in Arkansas, Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Tuesday urged Arkansans who haven't been vaccinated to take precautions over the Fourth of July weekend such as wearing a mask and practicing social distancing.
"My caution to all Arkansans is yes, you’re going to travel. Yes, you’re going to the lake. Yes, you’re having your backyard cookouts and celebrations. I'll be joining in that as well, but at the same time, if you are not vaccinated and you’re going to be participating in those activities, then please take the responsibility to care of yourself," Hutchinson said.
"Don't add to the spread of the virus."
Hutchinson made the remarks at his weekly news conference as the state's count of coronavirus cases rose by 479.
While slightly smaller than the one the previous Tuesday, it was just the second daily increase in more than three months that has topped 400.
After falling a day earlier, the number of cases in the state that were considered active rose by 196, to 3,365, its highest level since March 9.
The number of people hospitalized in the state with covid-19, however, fell by eight, to 306.
The state's death toll from the virus, as tracked by the Department of Health, rose by eight, to 5,905.
Cam Patterson, chancellor of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, said at the news conference that the state is "going in the wrong direction, yet again with covid-19 infections."
If the trend continues, "it would appear that we may be in the beginning of the third surge of covid-19 here in the state of Arkansas," Patterson, a cardiologist, said.
He said the coronavirus vaccines, along with social distancing and mask wearing when appropriate, "are our pathways" to avoiding such a surge.
EARLIER:
Gov. Asa Hutchinson will provide his weekly media update at 1:30 p.m.
Hutchinson will discuss the state's recent rise of covid-19 cases as well as other "topics of the day," according to a news release by the governor's office.
Check back to watch the live video.
[Video not showing up above? Click here to view » https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKTq1JA6XdU]