2 Arkansas inmates die from virus as business reopen nears

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (AP) — Two Arkansas prisoners died from the illness caused by the coronavirus, health officials said Saturday, as Gov. Asa Hutchinson urged residents to “tip very generously” when businesses shuttered due to the virus reopen in the coming days.

The two inmates were from the Cummins Unit, where at least 860 prisoners have tested positive. Both of the inmates who died were in their 60s.

Health officials announced the deaths as the state prepared to start rolling back its coronavirus restrictions next week, with gyms opening on Monday.

Arkansas is among a handful of states where governors did not issue broad stay-at-home orders seen in most of the U.S. during the coronavirus pandemic, but Hutchinson has imposed other restrictions.

Restaurants can reopen their dining rooms May 11, but only at one-third their capacity. Hair salons, barbershops, tattoo shops and message therapists can reopen Wednesday with new rules on customer interaction.

Hutchinson said he hoped Arkansans would spend money at the businesses, but follow the social distancing measures such as wearing a mask. The Republican governor said restaurant workers won’t make as much with smaller crowds in dining rooms.

“I hope we all tip very generously,” Hutchinson said. “They’re not going to have the same level of tip income ... It’s not the ideal circumstance.”

The Cummins inmates who died were undergoing treatment at an area hospital, and one was on a ventilator at the time of his death. The department did not identify the inmates, who were serving life sentences.

Later Saturday, Department of Corrections Chief of Staff Solomon Graves said a group of inmates at Cummins set fire to what appeared to be a trash can inside their barracks and broke some windows. Graves said there were no other reports of damage or injuries in the incident, which he said occurred late in the afternoon or early evening.

The Cummins virus cases have prompted a lawsuit by a group of inmates who have accused the state of not doing enough to prevent its spread throughout the prison system.

Health officials announced Saturday the state has at least 3,372 infections, although the number is likely higher because many people have not been tested and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick.

The number of deaths from COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, rose from 64 to 73.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

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Vertuno reported from Austin, Texas

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Check out more of the AP’s coronavirus coverage at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak