May 2, 2020 2:04 p.m. — At today's COVID-19 update, Gov. Asa Hutchinson reported the state has 3,372 positive cases, an increase of 51 from yesterday. Four of those are from the Department of Corrections. Secretary of Health Dr. Nate Smith said those 4 cases are not new, they have just been entered into the state's database.
Arkansas has 9 more deaths for a total of 73. Gov. Hutchinson said 2 of those are inmates and 6 are related to nursing home deaths that were not properly classified and recorded. Dr. Smith said the 2 inmates from Cummins prison were in their 60s, had multiple underlying medical conditions and had been hospitalized for several days.
Yesterday's directive allowing hair salons and barbershops to reopen May 6 with certain restrictions has been updated to include cosmetology schools as long as they can meet those same requirements.
The state has received a PPE decontaminator that will be able to decontaminate a maximum of 80,000 masks per day. Hospitals and clinics will be able to use the service for free. Dr. Smith says the device is paid for by the federal government and is 1 of 60 that has been deployed throughout the country.
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