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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

Arkansas Awarded $21 Million Grant to Combat Opioid, Stimulant Abuse

Aug. 31, 2020 2:26 p.m. — Today is International Opioid Awareness Day and during today's daily COVID-19 briefing, Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is awarding $21 million to Arkansas over the next two years. Gov. Hutchinson said the grant allow officials to work harder on eduction, treatment and recovery for Arkansans dealing with opioid and stimulant abuse. He also said Arkansas is 1 of 4 states to see a decline in deaths related to opioid abuse. 

In terms of COVID-19, the governor reported the state has 61,224 positive cases, an increase of 368 from yesterday. Hospitalizations increased by 29 for a total of 420. Arkansas has 797 deaths related to the coronavirus, an increase of 13. Six of those deaths were a result of delayed reporting. In the last 24 hours, 4,542 tests were conducted. That's about 1,500 less than the day prior.

Health Secretary Dr. Jose Romero reported the state has 5,466 active cases, two more than yesterday. There are 87 patients on ventilators, an increase of  3. Only four counties had more than 20 cases: Pulaski County with 50, Pope County with 41, Benton County with 30 and Garland County with 21. 

Health officials noted more than 11,300 negative test results have been added to the ADH's database. This is because a commercial lab had only been reporting positive results to the state. The most effected counties were Benton and Washington County with about 2,000 and 6,000 tests, respectively. Officials says adding these negative tests to the data will likely decrease the counties' cumulative postivity rate.

ADH is host mass testing eventsthis week in Jonesboro, El Dorado, Pine Bluff, Clarksville and Hot Springs. Drive-thru testing is also scheduled from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thrusday at the parking lot across from Baum Walker Stadium at the University of Arkansas. 

Education Secretary Johnny Key said two school districts have modified their operations under the Ready for Learning Plan. Key said the effected high schools in Cross and Searcy County were both impacted by a loss of staffing due to quarantines.

You can watch the entire daily briefing here