Arkansas's new cases of COVID-19 decreased for a third consecutive day. The Department of Health reports 320 new cases and nine additional deaths during the most recent 24-hour monitoring period. Governor Asa Hutchinson said the diminishing numbers are good news for the first day of school, but cautioned there are no future guarantees and Arkansas Secretary of Health Dr. Jose Romero said the state needs to continue robust testing. The governor was also asked about a Department of Health data correction that has significantly impacted Washington County's coronavirus positivity rate. After going through its data, the ADH added more than 20,000 test results to the county's total after a lab reported its positive results, but not its negative ones. The adjustment means Washington County's positivity rate is about 12 percent, not 20. Dr. Jennifer Dillaha, the state epidemiologist with ADH, said the health department was not getting the results because of coding issues created by the current environment where there's a rapid change in the number of facilities and the amount of testing being done. Arkansas Secretary of Education Johnny Key also spoke at today's briefing after spending the morning at an elementary school in Conway County. He said he liked what he saw there, but also reminded communities they need to continue following guidelines, like face coverings and social distancing, to keep schools safe. To watch the full briefing, click here.
0000017d-2122-dd26-adfd-e56710b50000The New Classroom is a special reporting series, supported by The Walton Family Foundation, exploring the struggles, changes and innovations in education during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can find reports in this series listed below.
School Resumes, New COVID-19 Cases Drop and ADH Corrects Its Testing Data
