LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — In a press conference Sunday, Governor Hutchinson said the state should be able to run 440 COVID-19 tests per day throughout the state by the end of next week.
The Arkansas Department of Health has been able to officially confirm what was initially presumptive positive cases of novel coronavirus as positive.
The state is currently at a total of 16 confirmed cases of COVID-19, as of March 15.
“There’s three different ways that we’re looking at obtaining testing and expanding that capability in Arkansas," Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson said the Arkansas Department of Health will be able to process 200 test during the day.
He commended UAMS and its ability to develop an in-house coronavirus test.
Hutchinson said with those two efforts combined, officials should be able to test 440 coronavirus tests per day throughout the state.
The governor said that commercial labs running tests is helping Arkansas to confirm tests as positive or negative more quickly.