Local COVID statistics change little; no new cases at nursing homes

Union County saw little change in local COVID-19 numbers between Sunday and Monday, with the only increases reported by the Arkansas Department of Health in local recoveries and negative test results.

So far, 188 Union County residents have tested positive for COVID-19; on Monday, the ADH reported two new recoveries locally, bringing the recovered total to 153. There are still 24 cases considered active in Union County, 12.76% of all local cases. Eleven Union County residents have died as a result of COVID-19.

No new cases, recoveries or deaths were reported at any of the county’s three congregate living facilities where COVID19 has been identified. Those include Courtyard Healthcare and Rehabilitation, with 37 active cases; Advanced Health and Rehab of Union County, with one active case; and Community Living Arrangements, with 12 active cases. The ADH reported 27 new negative test results received Monday for Union County, making 1,270 total negative test results returned locally. In all, the ADH has reported 1,458 results for Union County with an overall positivity rate of 12.89%. Over 500 local residents were tested for COVID-19 Saturday during a free drive-through testing event organized by the ADH and Union County Health Unit.

Arkansas increased its number of cumulative cases by 314 between Sunday and Monday, bringing the state to 9,740 cases diagnosed in all. Gov. Asa Hutchinson said more than 40% of the new cases come from Northwest Arkansas, which has seen a significant increase in cases in the past week and is considered to be a national COVID-19 hotspot.

Of the state’s cases, 6,630 are considered to be recovered, while 2,955 — 30.3% — are still active. Another Arkansan’s death resulting from COVID-19 was reported Monday, bringing the state’s death toll to 155, indicating a statewide mortality rate of 1.59%.

Hospitalizations in the state resulting from COVID-19 saw their biggest increase since the pandemic first hit in March between Sunday and Monday, with an increase of 26 bringing total hospitalizations to 171. ADH Secretary Dr. Nate Smith said the state is still well below its hospital bed capacity.

Hutchinson said last week he was considering taking a regional approach to ‘Phase 2’ of the state’s post-COVID reopening plan, a reversal from his support of a statewide approach, which he said he was in favor of due to economic activity between regions of Arkansas. On Monday, he moved away from the idea of a regional approach, though he did not rule out the possibility completely.

Statewide, more than 5,000 test results were reported by the ADH Monday, including 4,854 negative results. In all, 165,441 COVID-19 test results have been reported, with 155,701 returning negative, indicating an overall positivity rate of 5.88%. The one-day positivity rate Monday was 6%.

At 6 p.m. Monday, 1,956,527 COVID19 cases had been confirmed in the United States, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Of those, 506,367 are considered recovered, while 110,934 Americans have died as a result of the virus, indicating a national mortality rate of 5.66%. There are 1,339,226 cases still considered active nationwide.

Johns Hopkins University reported 7,085,894 cases worldwide Monday afternoon, with 405,170 deaths reported, indicating a global mortality rate of 5.7%.