State adds 110 cases; death toll climbs to 16

Governor praises efforts to combat virus

Gov. Asa Hutchinson shows his personal face mask as he delivers a daily update to the media on Arkansas’ covid-19 response Sun- day in the Governor’s Conference Room in the state Capitol. More at arkansasonline.com/46gov/. 
(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Steven Swofford)
Gov. Asa Hutchinson shows his personal face mask as he delivers a daily update to the media on Arkansas’ covid-19 response Sun- day in the Governor’s Conference Room in the state Capitol. More at arkansasonline.com/46gov/. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Steven Swofford)

Positive covid-19 cases in Arkansas rose by at least 110 in what officials on Sunday called the largest single-day increase in confirmed illnesses caused by the coronavirus.

At least 853 people have tested positive for the coronavirus and two additional people have died, bringing the total number of deaths caused by the virus to 16, according to the Arkansas Department of Health. Gov. Asa Hutchinson said 100 people have recovered from the disease.

During a Sunday afternoon news conference at the state Capitol, Hutchinson praised Arkansans for their efforts to limit the virus's effect on the state. Previous projections estimated the state would have roughly 2,000 cases at this time.

"Compliments to the people of Arkansas for social distancing, for taking the measures that are important to reduce the spread of this virus," he said. "The deadly nature of this virus strikes people, but it's also how highly contagious it is that gets peoples' attention."

He said the contagious and deadly nature of the disease is what creates a need for the social distancing, limits on groups to small numbers of people, and sanitation measures that have been recommended.

"I want to make sure that we follow the guidelines and do everything we can do to limit that spread," he said.

Hutchinson also said he plans to comply with the state's recommendations, following guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for individuals to wear masks when in public and unable to maintain a 6-foot distance from others. He encouraged Arkansans to wear masks of their own, and to think of the move as "Arkansas Fashion Week."

Health Department Secretary Nate Smith said on Sunday afternoon that 67 people with covid-19 were hospitalized, which is down five from Saturday's total of 72 hospitalizations. He said 27 of those hospitalized are currently on ventilators, an increase of four from the day before. He said 60 people who have tested positive are in nine nursing homes around the state.

Smith said that, as of Friday, the state had a total of 785 ventilators, 284 of which were in use, leaving 501 available if needed.

"We actually have quite a reserve," he said, "not that they're stored someplace in warehouses. But they're out there in the hospitals where they need to be, so we can absorb some increase."

Smith said, however, that if the state were to experience a significant rise in covid-19 cases, it would likely need to find more ventilators. In an article in The Washington Post, Surgeon General Jerome Adams warned that the coming week could be a national catastrophe comparable to Pearl Harbor or the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, as covid-19 deaths nationwide pushed closer to 10,000.

Hutchinson said later that he has had conversations with Vice President Mike Pence, and that the vice president had given his assurances that "if you need ventilators, they'll be there for you."

Asked about how competition among the states in procuring needed supplies has affected Arkansas, Hutchinson said the state has actually had an experience in which testing kits that were on a confirmed order were diverted elsewhere.

"It was New York that paid a premium, and they got a product when we had an order confirmed," he said. "That's one level of competition. The other level of competition is simply that when all the other states are trying to acquire [equipment], as well as the other countries, the Department of Defense, there's just a limited supply of kits."

Hutchinson said that in addition to a bidding war among states, the federal government and other nations that is complicating the procurement process and creating delays, it also takes time for factories to ready manufacturing capacity to meet demand. He said he has asked Pence about the federal government invoking the Defense Production Act not only to direct manufacturing needs, but also to direct the supply of needed equipment once produced.

"It's an even greater challenge for ventilators," he said. "Ventilators have fewer areas of production, and the availability is less."

Hutchinson said he has considered the idea of forming a coalition with a handful of governors from other states as a way of increasing the state's buying power and influence in the marketplace to better ensure the availability of supplies when they are needed. He said the state stepped out early in adopting a central purchasing model, funded with $75 million, to enable greater leverage in the marketplace, which he said has worked well for the most part.

"I feel much more comfortable about our supply chain, except in ventilators, which is going to be challenging," he said.

Smith reported that two additional counties -- Yell and Phillips -- reported coronavirus infections, bringing the number to 64 Arkansas counties that have confirmed cases of covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Asked if the state has an adequate supply of covid-19 testing kits, Smith professed cautious optimism.

"It's OK right now, but there are, as you know, across the country challenges in terms of getting reagents," he said. "I'm a little reluctant to say we're doing well because the situation could change next week. We're hoping to do better, though. We're hoping to obtain more reagents and to continue increasing our testing capacity."

Smith said that while testing is being done through the state Health Department and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, commercial labs have been able to provide additional capacity.

He said that out of 992 total covid-19 tests conducted in Arkansas as of Sunday afternoon, 111 of those came from the Health Department, 56 from UAMS, and 825 from commercial labs.

Both Smith and Hutchinson said they have not been tested for the coronavirus, adding that neither of them meet the criteria for testing.

Opting Sunday afternoon to break down the groups of people affected by the virus into percentages, Smith said that 2.4% of covid-19 cases are in children younger than 18, which he said is a similar figure to what has been observed in other places.

"Children don't get very sick from this for the most part," he said. "We still want to protect them, but they don't seem to be the ones having the heaviest burden of disease."

Smith said 6.6% of the cases identified so far are in people age 18 to 24; 29.6% of cases are people age 25 to 44; 34.9% are people age 45 to 64, which he said is the hardest-hit age group; and people 65 and up account for 26.4% of covid-19 infections.

He said 31% of the total number of people infected have had one or more underlying medical condition, and he broke down the most common as diabetes in 9.3% of cases, heart disease in 8% of cases, and chronic lung disease in 5% of cases.

On the economic front, Hutchinson said he anticipates unemployment claims in the state to reach 100,000 by the end of the week as businesses continue to shut down and employers lay off more workers.

"That means that there's people who are struggling financially in paying their bills, making ends meet, and while there's an opportunity for unemployment compensation, but also an opportunity for federal assistance down the road, there's still going to be gaps; there's still going to be great needs," he said. "Whether that's through food banks or whether it's through caring for the children of families who are struggling, there's great social needs we have here in Arkansas."

[Gallery not loading above? Click here for more photos » arkansasonline.com/46gov/]

To assist in meeting those needs, Hutchinson said, the state is partnering with the Arkansas Community Foundation in an effort to help direct resources to where they are most needed. He said the state has designated the foundation's Covid-19 Relief Fund as the official fund for contributions for that purpose.

"They'll be able to direct the traffic as to what needs are out there through other nonprofit groups, other relief agencies, and be able to support them," he said. "If I identify a need as governor, I'll be able to express that need and ask if the Community Foundation can find a way to help."

Heather Larkin, the president and chief executive officer of the Arkansas Community Foundation, said that more than $2 million has been pledged or given to its Covid-19 Relief Fund.

[Video not showing up above? Click here to watch » https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGLeGLkW5jY]

She said grants from the program are intended to help nonprofits maintain operations and respond to increased demands from clients.

"We're so grateful to these organizations and to so many individuals who have stepped up and are already making gifts," Larkin said.

Entergy Arkansas President and CEO Laura R. Landreaux, speaking after Larkin, announced that the Entergy Charitable Foundation has entrusted $100,000 to the fund. In addition to the contribution, Landreaux said, Entergy Arkansas has temporarily suspended disconnections of power for nonpayment of electric bills.

"We want our customers to know that we will continue to work with them in any way possible to help them recover," she said. "We encourage others who are able to pledge what they can to support our community."

photo

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Entergy Arkansas President Laura R. Landreaux, speaking Sunday alongside Gov. Asa Hutchinson in Arkansas at a briefing on the state’s covid-19 response, said the utility has temporarily suspended disconnections of power for nonpayment of electric bills. More photos at arkansasonline.com/46gov/. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Stephen Swofford)

photo

Coronavirus daily updates and cumulative covid-19 cases in Arkansas

A Section on 04/06/2020

Upcoming Events