COVID in every county in NEA; could be a month before Jonesboro peaks
by April 13, 2020 5:54 pm 2,325 views
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread across Northeast Arkansas, and the last county in the region has finally been added to those with confirmed cases. A person in Jackson County tested positive for the virus on Monday (April 13) meaning all counties in the region have at least one case, according to the Arkansas Department of Health.
Crittenden County, which abuts the Mississippi River and nearby Shelby County in Tennessee, had the most cases of any county in NEA with 93 cases, the third most among all Arkansas counties. Adjacent county, St. Francis County has the second most with 32 cases, followed by Craighead County with 31. Statewide there have been at least 30 deaths reported due to the disease, the ADH reported. Two of those deaths occurred in Crittenden County and one was in Lawrence County, according to KAIT.
Jonesboro officials issued a mandatory curfew after receiving approval from Gov. Asa Hutchinson. Residents are required to stay home from 10 p.m. To 6 a.m., unless they are traveling to and from work or performing an essential function, Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin said.
“Cities around Arkansas and the nation are seeing success with nighttime curfews,” Perrin said. “Every hour people are not interacting in person decreases the chances of a spike that could overload our healthcare systems. It also protects our police department and other first responders from a surge illnesses and quarantines.”
The mayor consulted with city medical director Dr. Shane Speights and Arkansas Surgeon General Dr. Greg Bledsoe to come to this decision. Speights reminds the public that every day cases continue to go up in the state and region.
“It is our duty to continue to look for ways to reduce the impact of this disease on our local healthcare workers, hospitals and the general public,” Speights said. “Essentially, our community’s duty is to keep working to flatten the curve.”
Speights said everyone has to understand how easily this particular coronavirus is transmitted among humans and that 25% of carriers show no symptoms. He said the apex of cases in Jonesboro is not predicted for at least a month.
ADH has a hotline for individuals in NEA who are COVID-19 positive but lack a safe place to be quarantined/isolated, Jonesboro Grants and Community Development Direction Regina Burkett said Monday. Anyone in this situation should call the hotline number (501) 614-5822. ADH has a process in place, and will determine what steps need to be taken, including providing transportation, for any individual who tests positive.