August 20, 2020 5:00 p.m. -- The Arkansas Department of Health reported 549 new cases of COVID-19 and 10 additional deaths from the virus in the last 24-hour monitoring period. Three of the deaths are delayed reporting from July. The number of hospitalizations remains at 499 from the day before. Eight counties reported as many as 20 new cases, including 51 in Pulaski County, 35 in Sebastian County and 22 in Crawford County. Much of today's briefing with Governor Asa Hutchinson and state officials involved the first day of school and the information school districts will have to better navigate in-person education. Dr. Joe Thompson, the president of the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, said the organization is compiling cumulative and active cases at community and school district levels, and is now adding trend data for the communities that make up each school district. He said this should be particularly helpful to rural school districts, which educate students who come from different communities. The new information is not intended as a triggering mechanism for any decisions, but is there to give school districts an idea of whether they're at low or high risk of infection. Arkansas Secretary of Education Johnny Key also announced each of the state's more than 1,000 school buildings will receive a screening kit with thermometers and masks to create a screening station if so desired, although screening at school buildings in Arkansas is not required. To watch the full briefing, click here.
0000017d-2122-dd26-adfd-e56710ac0000IMPORTANT RESOURCESArkansas Department of Health's COVID-19 Update PageADH Coronavirus Hotline: 1-800-803-7847 (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. M-F) After normal business hours, urgent calls needing immediate response call 501-661-2136Gov. Asa Hutchinson's statewide mask mandate goes into effect July 20