By Ray King
Governor Asa Hutchinson on Saturday announced that the state will provide $10 million to assist rural hospitals who are struggling because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At his daily press conference, the governor said the funds will go to 27 different rural hospitals in grants of between $250,000 and $500,000. The money is from a community development block grant. The University of Arkansas for Medical Services will receive $500,000 from the same grant to increase telemedicine programs with the rural hospitals.
Looking at the numbers for Saturday, Hutchinson said an additional 44 cases of the Corona virus were reported in the past 24 hours, bringing the state’s total from 1,695 to 1,739. Nine-hundred 98 of those cases are active and an additional 703 people have recovered from the virus, that’s 110 more than on Friday.
The numbers do not include testing which has been done on inmates and staff at Cummins prison Friday because the results were not available yet.
One additional death was reported, bringing the state’s total to 38 and that person was over the age of 65.
Dr. Cam Patterson, who is the chancellor at UAMS also spoke about testing, specifically the use of a mobile unit that has been traveling the state and conducting testing in various communities. He said the unit was in Texarkana and Forrest City last week where they screened 431 individuals, tested 180, and of those tested, only one tested positive for COVID-19.
The Governor also announced that he has issued an executive order creating an Arkansas Economic Recovery Task Force which will be chaired by Stuart Walton and will consist of 26 to 27 members representing industry, agriculture, tourism, sports, small business, churches and other groups.
The purpose of the task force will be to develop guidelines consistent with public health directives that will allow the lifting of some restrictions to boost the economy and to restore confidence by the public.
On Friday, the Governor said he was looking at May 4 as the date to start lifting some current restrictions but Saturday said that “May 4 doesn’t mean that all the restrictions will be lifted. Social distancing will still be a part of life, as will hand washing. The extent of the listing will be guided by the Public Health Team.”
