Governor Reports More Than 260 New Community Cases of Coronavirus in State

During today's coronavirus response briefing, Governor Asa Hutchinson announced there were 261 new cases of COVID-19 in the state. All of these cases are considered community based, which makes it the largest single-day increase in those types of cases. Benton County recorded 85 new cases and Washington County recorded 25. Secretary of Health Nate Smith said the average age of newly diagnosed patients in Benton County is 40 and in Washington County it's 38. He also reported that of the more than 6,500 cumulative cases diagnosed in Arkansas, about half of the people who tested positive exhibited no symptoms at the time of testing. Steuart Walton, the chairman of the Economic Task Force, told media the task force heard repeatedly from schools, businesses, and churches which want to see some sort of state-issued rules regarding liability protection. To listen to the full briefing, click here.