Arkansas and Tennessee officials suspect coronavirus patients brought the disease back home from Mardi Gras in Louisiana.
That Arkansas today announced six presumptive positive patients from four counties.
"We have to do a great deal of tracing," Governor Asa Hutchinson explained.
Arkansas Health Secretary Dr. Nate Smith told reporters that of the cases they have in that state, five are all linked to a single individual, while another patient apparently contracted coronavirus while traveling.
"One is separate, and that was acquired from contact out of state," he said.
Department spokeswoman Meg Mirivel told NOLA.com that the individual “likely” contracted the illness during a trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras.
No further details were provided.
Smith said none of the Arkansas patients are hospitalized. They are also being treated as outpatients.
In Tennessee reports indicate two patients were in New Orleans or Mardi Gras and may have contracted the virus while in Louisiana. One is hospitalized, the other is not.
