Two local COVID cases announced, along with two recoveries
State breaks 10k cases
The Arkansas Department of Health reported two new cases of COVID-19 in Union County Tuesday, bringing the county’s number of cumulative cases to 190.
So far, 190 Union County residents have tested positive for COVID-19. Of those, 155, two more than Monday, are considered recovered, leaving 24 cases in the community — 12.6% — active.
No new local deaths were reported Tuesday; 11 local residents have died as a result of COVID-19 in all.
According to the ADH, two workers at Courtyard Healthcare and Rehabilitation tested positive for COVID-19 between
Monday and Tuesday, joining 20 other workers and 25 residents at the facility who have been diagnosed with the virus. The nursing home also saw two new recoveries among workers.
In all, 57 people at Courtyard have tested positive for COVID-19, 35 residents and 22 workers. Of those, 13 workers and two residents have recovered, while five residents have died as a result of the virus. There are still 28 resident cases considered active, according to the ADH.
The ADH also reported 29 new negative test results from Union
County Tuesday. So far, 1,489 test results have returned for Union County, including 1,299 negatives, indicating an overall positivity rate of 12.7%. The one day positivity rate was 6.4%.
Arkansas broke 10,000 cases between Monday and Tuesday, the ADH reported, with the state’s cumulative cases total at 10,080 by 7 p.m. Tuesday, an increase of 340 cases since Monday.
Of those, 6,875 are considered recovered, while 3,044 cases, a record for the state and about 30.19% of the state’s cumulative cases, remain active. Six Arkansans died as a result of COVID-19 between Monday and Tuesday, bringing the state’s death toll to 161, indicating a statewide mortality rate of 1.59%.
Arkansas has seen a marked increase in COVID-19 cases since it began reopening businesses on May 4 after about a month and a half of widespread restrictions and closure orders from the state. On May 4, the ADH reported 3,431 cumulative cases in Arkansas and 60 in Union County.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson has said the increase is partly attributable to increased testing statewide. In May, over 60,000 Arkansans were tested for COVID-19, surpassing the governor’s goal for the month, and in June, he said he hopes to see 120,000 tests performed statewide, including tests for all nursing home residents and workers.
Northwest Arkansas has also seen a significant increase in COVID-19 cases in recent days after a large number of poultry plant workers have been diagnosed. Washington County, for example, where Fayetteville is located, has seen over 1,000 cases since the pandemic hit Arkansas in March.
Hutchinson said Tuesday he would announce a date for ‘Phase 2’ of the state’s reopening plan today. He said he has received letters telling him to speed up the state’s reopening and to slow it down. A state representative from Northeast Arkansas, Rep. Dan Sullivan (R-Jonesboro), wrote a letter telling the governor businesses in his region planned to open Friday regardless of the state’s plan.
Hutchinson said there is still need for caution after the quickness with which the state’s second peak has been reached. The original peak in cases was considered to be in late April, and COVID-19 cases have more than doubled since then.
Two more Arkansans were hospitalized for COVID-19 on Tuesday, bringing the total hospitalizations in the state to 173.
In the United States, 1,973,803 COVID-19 cases were reported at 7 p.m. Tuesday, with 518,522 considered recovered and 1,343,520 still considered active. According to Johns Hopkins University, 111,751 Americans have died as a result of COVID-19, indicating a national mortality rate of 5.66%.
Worldwide, 7,185,573 cases were reported Tuesday evening, according to Johns Hopkins; of those, 408,954 people have died, indicating a global mortality rate of 5.69%.