Authorities in Arkansas are getting creative with attempts to thwart drug use in the area and their latest ploy involves the coronavirus threat.
The St. Francis County Sheriff's Office issued a “public service announcement” on Wednesday warning that methamphetamines recently sold in the area may have been “contaminated” with the coronavirus.
“WARNING: If you have recently purchased meth locally, it may be contaminated with the coronavirus,” the message posted to Facebook read.
“Please take it to the sheriff’s office or police department and they will test it for free.”
The tongue-in-cheek warning advised those who are “not comfortable going into an office” to call law enforcement so they can “test your meth in the privacy of your home.”
There have been 60 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the U.S. in total, a figure that includes three individuals repatriated from evacuation flights, and 42 from the Diamond Princess ship that Japanese officials quarantined earlier this month.
A woman faces criminal charges after she falsely claimed she had the coronavirus and caused a central Arkansas courthouse to be evacuated Wednesday.
Celia Hill, 34, of North Little Rock, faces counts of filing a false report, obstructing governmental operations and contempt of court.
Hill was at Mayflower District Court to face a misdemeanor drug charge when she apparently became ill and told people that she might have the coronavirus, according to authorities. Authorities cleared the courthouse and took Hill to an area hospital for testing.
Mayflower Police Chief Robert Alcon said later that Hill had tested negative for the virus. City Prosecuting Attorney David Hogue confirmed that Hill faces charges.
"As far as we can tell, she lied about having the coronavirus," Hogue said.
One witness, Kendrick Alexander, said he was in traffic court when the judge stood up and told those in the courtroom to leave. According to Alexander, the judge announced that a woman in the building said she'd recently been traveling, had come into contact with the coronavirus and that she now had a 102 degree fever.
A second witness, Christopher Beaumont, shared the same account. He said people ran from the courtroom.
Hogue said Hill initially refused to be taken to an area hospital. A judge then issued an order requiring her to submit to a blood test. Medics wearing face masks were later seen taking her away from the courthouse on a stretcher.
The Arkansas Department of Health said in a statement Wednesday that it investigated what happened at the courthouse and that the "person in question" was not under investigation for the coronavirus.
