County sees second COVID-19 death

A second Union County resident has died as a result of contracting the novel coronavirus. The first Union County death was reported the evening of May 6.

According to the Arkansas Department of Health, by 4:15 p.m. Sunday there were 76 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county, up three from Saturday. Fifty-three of those are considered recovered, leaving 21 cases active.

A total of 488 test results had been returned in Union County by Sunday afternoon. With 412 of the tests returning negative, the county sat at a positivity rate of 15.6% and a mortality rate of 2.6%.

Arkansas’s confirmed caseload rose past 4,000 between Saturday and Sunday, with 809 cases still active. Ninetyone people had died in the state and 3,112 had reportedly recovered by Sunday afternoon.

Over 69,000 tests have been performed in Arkansas. The state had a positivity rate of 5.8% and a mortality rate of 2.3% Sunday afternoon.

Elective dental and surgical procedures will be allowed to resume on May 11, as will dine-in restaurant services. Several local restaurants have announced that they will not reopen for dine-in services immediately for various reasons, including Elm Street

Bakery and LaPiazza; however, curbside service will continue at both eateries.

On May 18, casinos and other large venues will be allowed to reopen, and on May 22, public pools, splash pads and other aquatic facilities can resume operations, per state guidelines. Local arts facilities, including the South Arkansas Arts Center and the Murphy Arts District, have continued to provide arts education online through Facebook Live and Zoom, including holding art contests.

On Tuesday, the Central Arkansas Development Council will distribute food at the east side Fairgrounds

from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. or until their supplies last.

The boxes that will be distributed will include food items, including meat, beans, vegetables and fruit and essential household items like toilet paper. Those who participate will need to show a photo identification and will be limited to one box per person.

The United States currently reports 1,326,138 confirmed cases of

COVID-19, with 212,534 people having recovered and 79,384 having died, leaving 1,034,220 cases active, according to the ADH. The country’s mortality rate was 6% Sunday afternoon.

Worldwide, COVID-19 cases have almost reached four million. Sunday afternoon, the World Health Organization reported 3,925,815 confirmed

cases of the novel coronavirus, with 274,488 fatalities resulting from it. The global mortality rate was 7% Sunday afternoon.