Three new coronavirus cases in Union County; active cases still down

Three new COVID-19 cases were identified in Union County Monday, according to the Arkansas Department of Health, bringing the county’s cumulative total of cases to 227.

Of those, 180 are considered recovered, up four from Sunday. Since there were more recoveries than new cases, Union County’s active case count dropped by one to 34, representing 14.97% of all the cases that have been discovered locally.

No new deaths were reported in Union County Monday; in all, 13 Union County residents have died as a result of COVID-19.

No changes were reported in any of the congregate living facilities in the county where cases have been identified, which include Courtyard Healthcare and Rehab, where seven residents have died, 28 other residents and 22 workers have contracted the virus and three residents and 16 workers have since recovered; Advanced Health and Rehab of Union County, where four workers have tested positive; Timberlane Health and Rehab, where two workers have tested positive; and Community Living Arrangements, where nine residents and three workers have tested positive.

The ADH also reported 161 new negative test results returned from Union County; in all, 2,837 local test results have returned to the ADH, with 2,610 negatives, indicating an overall positivity rate of 8%.

Arkansas saw an increase of 522 cases from Sunday, bringing the state’s cumulative case total to 16,083. Of those, 10,793 are considered recovered, and 5,063 cases — 31.48% — are considered active.

The ADH also reported two more Arkansans’ deaths resulting from COVID-19 Monday, bringing the state’s death toll to 227, indicating a state mortality rate of 1.41%.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Monday that the state had reached his goal of testing 120,000 Arkansans in June early, noting that the state has no plans to slow down testing. President Donald Trump said at a rally over the weekend that he told his “people” to “slow down testing,” comments Hutchinson called “flippant” on Monday.

“It’s clear the national policy is to increase testing,” Hutchinson said.

There were 237 Arkansans hospitalized due to COVID19 Monday, down seven from Sunday, with 61 using ventilators, down one from Sunday. Hutchinson and ADH Secretary Dr. Nate Smith reported that 28.6%, or 2,552, of the state’s 8,917 hospital beds were available Monday; that 22.3%, or 222, of the state’s 970 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds were available Monday; and that 65.2%, 583, of the state’s 894 ventilators were available Monday.

“I feel very comfortable that where we are right now is able to handle expected needs, at least in the short term,” Smith said, noting that the state has the ability to expand its hospital bed capacity.

At 7:30 p.m. Monday, the ADH reported 256,339 test results returned statewide, with 240,256 negatives, indicating an overall positivity rate for the state of 6.27%.

Johns Hopkins University reported 2,310,334 COVID-19 in the United States Monday evening; of those, 640,198 are considered recovered, with 1,549,752 cases — 67.07% — still active. The university also reported 120,384 deaths in U.S. citizens, indicating a national mortality rate of 5.21%. Johns Hopkins also reported 9,062,837 COVID-19 cases worldwide Monday evening; of those, 4,494,198 are considered recovered, leaving 4,097,923 cases — 45.21% — active around the world. There have been 470,716 deaths resulting from COVID-19, indicating a global mortality rate of 5.19%.