June 23, 2020 2:13 p.m. — Gov. Hutchinson delivered today's COVID-19 update from Mountain Home. He reported the state has 16,678 positive cases, an increase of 595 from yesterday. Of those, 212 are in correctional facilities. Hospitalizations increased 11 for a total of 248. Arkansas has 237 deaths related to the coronavirus, an increase of 10. Gov. Hutchinson said 5,344 tests have been conducted in the last 24 hours. In June, a total of 126,120 tests have been conducted.
Health Secretary Dr. Nate Smith said the state has a total of 5,221 active cases. Of those, 103 are in nursing homes, 779 are in correctional facilities and 4,339 are in the community. Dr. Smith said there are 128 positive cases at the Ouachita River Unit in Malvern. At the Benton County Jail, 188 inmates and 13 staff have tested positive.
Of the cases in the Northwest region of the state, Dr. Smith said 44 percent are Latino and 24 percent are poultry workers. The region has 49 deaths, 2,452 active cases and a positivity rate of 8.7 percent. Gov. Hutchinson shared a UAMS statistical model predicting how the pandemic could progress in the state this year. The average model predicts cases peaking at 133,056 on Sept. 30. The worst case model predicts 251,834 total infections by Sept. 19. The governor says the models are based on the state's current trajectory and the goal is to change that trajectory.
You can watch the entire daily briefing here.
