Hospitalizations for covid-19 continued to grow on Monday, reaching another new high of 439 patients, an increase of 19 from the previous day.
State Health Department Secretary Nate Smith said that some of the increase was due to an outbreak at the Arkansas State Hospital, a psychiatric facility, and that other hospitalizations may be linked to festivities from the Fourth of July holiday.
There were 572 new cases of the virus reported Monday, bringing the total number of cases to 28,939 since the start of the pandemic. The state reported its largest one-day increase of cases, 1,061, on Saturday,
Both Smith and Gov. Asa Hutchinson also brought attention to slow-down in testing performed in the state, which the governor attributed to increased competition with larger states for use of commercial facilities.
Hutchinson, a Republican, said he felt he has become a “singular national voice” calling on President Donald Trump to order the use of the Defense Production Act to expand testing for covid-19.
A total of 68,515 coronavirus tests have been performed on Arkansans in July, short of the pace Hutchinson set early this month when he called for 200,000 tests by July 31.
EARLIER:
Gov. Asa Hutchinson and state health officials will provide an update on Arkansas' covid-19 response at 1:30 p.m.
The total number of coronavirus cases reported in Arkansas was at 28,367 Monday morning, according to a state website. The death toll remained at 321.
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