Arkansas' count of coronavirus cases rose Tuesday by 952, while the number of patients hospitalized in the state with covid-19 rose to a new record for the second day in a row.
The increase comes as two additional state legislators tested positive for covid-19, growing the ranks of state lawmakers who have tested positive for the coronavirus in the past week and a half to nine.
The state's death toll from the virus, as tracked by the Department of Health, rose by 24, to 1,857.
The cases added to the state's tallies included 651 that were confirmed through polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, tests.
The other 301 were "probable" cases, which include those identified through less-sensitive antigen tests.
Already at a record level, the number of people hospitalized in the state with covid-19 rose by 27, to 676.
Those patients included 94 who were on ventilators, down from 102 a day earlier.
The state's cumulative count of confirmed and probable cases rose to 107,679.
The number of cases that were considered active fell by 81, to 9,490, as 1,008 Arkansas were newly classified as having recovered.
At his weekly news conference on the pandemic, held virtually on Tuesday for the second week in a row, Hutchinson said hospitals are coordinating with each other to handle their patients.
He said they have adequate capacity at the moment, although he said the state has "a great need for additional medical teams that can handle" intensive care unit patients.
"What we don't want to have to happen is that we have to start cutting back on elective procedures" to make room for coronavirus patients, Hutchinson said.
"These are very important to the economic health of the hospitals, but it’s just as important to the health of our patients and our population, so we need to work to get our cases down to get hospitalizations down."
Hutchinson last week began limiting his meetings and public appearances after a person he was in a meeting with tested positive for covid-19.
He said Tuesday that all his tests for the virus have been negative but that he'll continue limiting his activities through Thursday evening or Friday morning.
Arkansas' count of coronavirus cases rose Tuesday by 952, while the number of patients hospitalized in the state with covid-19 rose to a new record for the second day in a row.
In the state Legislature, Rep. Jeff Wardlaw, R-Hermitage, and Gayla McKenzie, R-Gravette, have tested positive for coronavirus, a spokeswoman of the House said Tuesday.
That increased the ranks of state lawmakers who have tested positive for the coronavirus in the past week and a half to nine. Wardlaw and McKenzie informed House Speaker Matthew Shepherd, R-El Dorado, that they received positive tests.
Wardlaw is a co-chairman of the Legislative Council and he said Monday that his wife tested positive for coronavirus.
McKenzie is a sister of Senate President Pro Tempore Jim Hendren, R-Sulphur Springs.
Hendren said McKenzie “is doing fine.”
“She is doing better,” he added.
The other lawmakers who have tested positive are Sens. Terry Rice, R-Waldron; Missy Irvin, R-Mountain View and Cecile Bledsoe, R-Rogers, and Reps. Joe Cloud, R-Russellville; Charlene Fite, R-Van Buren; Michelle Gray, R-Melbourne and Stu Smith, R-Cabot.
State lawmakers resumed their budget hearings this morning after suspending them a week ago for the rest of last week after some legislators tested positive for the coronavirus.
Lawmakers during budget hearings sat with empty seats between themselves and wore masks when not drinking or speaking into a microphone.
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 remained at 106,727 Tuesday morning, according to a state website. The death toll remained at 1,833.
Check back to watch the live video.
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