Air Force airman in Arkansas tests positive for coronavirus

The number of coronavirus cases in Arkansas is now 118 and the number is not expected to peak for another six to eight weeks, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Saturday.

Hutchinson said projections show 1,000 people will be hospitalized with the virus at the peak, but declined to say how many positive cases are expected while imploring people to practice social distancing and good hygiene and avoid unnecessary travel.

The state Department of Health reported 100 cases Friday, State Secretary of Health Dr. Nate Smith said Saturday that 13 people are hospitalized.

The vast majority of people who contract the virus recover within weeks. It causes only mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but it can lead to more severe illness, including pneumonia, especially in older adults and people with preexisting health problems.

Among the cases is an airman at Little Rock Air Force Base who is believed to have contracted the virus from recent travels, base commander Col. John Schutte said Saturday.