National Guard soldiers deploy to Arkansas hospitals to help with COVID-19 testing

The Arkansas National Guard announced Jan. 6 in a press release that 40 National Guardsmen from the 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team will deploy to nine hospitals across that state to assist local health care facilities as case numbers rise.

The Guardsmen were set to report for in processing Jan. 10 at Camp Joseph T. Robinson in North Little Rock and will report to their assigned hospitals on Jan. 11.

Their initial orders are for 30 days, which may be extended or curtailed as conditions dictate, according to the release.

The announcement came amid a record-breaking week for Arkansas.

An all-time high of 6,562 cases new cases reported by the Arkansas Department of Health on Tuesday, Jan. 4, was quickly overcome as numbers surpassed 7,000 and then 8,000 in the following days.

On Friday, Jan. 7, a record-breaking 8,434 cases were reported. The ADH reported 61,121 active cases across the state on Monday.

Four National Guardsmen will head to Mercy Hospital Fort Smith. There will also be Guardsmen sent to the Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas in Fayetteville, six to St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro, four to Northeast Arkansas Baptist Memorial Hospital in Jonesboro, six to Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock, two to Baxter Regional Health System in Mountain Home, two to Jefferson Regional Hospital in Pine Bluff, six to Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas in Rogers, and six to Washington Regional Medical Center in Springdale.