Governor Hutchinson 10/20/2020 COVID Press Conference
>This is the 153rd update the Governor has given
>Unemployment went from 7.4% to 7.3% in the last month
>Governor Hutchinson was in a meeting with an individual who tested positive, though the Governor was not within six feet of the individual, he has taken precautions to limit his interactions.
was possibly exposed, had a COVID test Monday, both PCR and antigen tests were negative.
>628 new cases in the last 24 hours with 216 probable cases. 840 total cases.
>Up 24 to 637 hospitalized.
>Up to 14 to 1576 deaths.
>100,000 Arkansans have had COVID-19.
>Testing- PCT= 5439 tests, antigen 2,429 tests.
>Cumulative positivity rate 7.6
>Antigen positivity rate 14.9%
>Hospitalizations are a concern. Capacity is “tight”
>NW public health region has a growth rate of 8.3%
65+ is still the fastest growing age demographic at 7.5% growth rate, although ages 0-17 is 4.4% growth and 17-24 is 4.3% growth.
>Positivity rate has edged up some over the last few weeks.
>To date in October= 187,970 PCR tests and 24,638 antigen tests
>Counties with more than 20 cases: Pulaski 62, Washington 39, Benton 38, Craighead 32, Crittenden 25, Crawford 21, Green 20
>Latest numbers show that the mask mandate is not being adhered to recently. We need to continue to wear masks, use social distancing and wash hands frequently.
>October 11- October 17: 20 different schools had some type of learning modification, which is an increase from the week before.
>There have been 158 total learning modifications since the beginning of school, but only 16 currently active district modifications.
>Issued a proclamation for October 20 as a day of volunteer prayer for Arkansas.