Nine new COVID-19 cases, one death reported in Union County
The Arkansas Department of Health reported nine new COVID-19 cases in Union County Wednesday, bringing the cumulative number of cases identified in the county to 858. The cumulative case total was made up of 838 confirmed cases, up seven from Tuesday; and 20 probable cases, up two from Tuesday.
According to the United States Centers for Disease Control, the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests that confirmed cases are determined by are more sensitive than the antigen tests that determine probable cases.
The ADH reported 19 new negative test results returned from Union County on Wednesday, indicating a one-day local positivity rate of 32.1% based on the number of new cases and results reported. In all, 8,789 COVID-19 test results have returned from Union County, including 7,931 negatives, indicating an overall local positivity rate of 9.7%.
One Union County resident’s death that was caused by COVID-19 was reported Wednesday. Thirty-two local residents have died as a result of the virus, indicating a local COVID mortality rate — the percentage of those who have contracted the virus and died as a result of it — of 3.7%.
The number of recoveries reported in Union County increased by eight Wednesday to reach 798. Active cases in the county stayed steady at 27
Wednesday, representing 3.1% of all the cases identified locally. The active cases reported Wednesday were made up of 21 confirmed cases and six probable cases.
A report produced by the ADH on Sept. 21 on COVID cases in educational institutions included the Smackover-Norphlet School District, which reportedly has five active COVID19 cases out of 13 cumulative cases identified in people in the district; the report didn’t include whether the cases in the district are in staff and faculty or students. No other local school districts were included in the report.
A nursing home report produced by the ADH on Sept. 22 showed several active cases at nursing homes in Union County. According to the report, there are five active cases at Advanced Health and Rehab of Union County, made up of three resident cases and two worker cases, along with four workers who have recovered from the virus; one active worker case at Courtyard Healthcare and Rehabilitation, where 22 other workers and 28 residents recovered from the virus and seven residents died during a previous outbreak; 61 active cases at Hudson Memorial Nursing home, made up of 43 resident cases and 18 worker cases, along with 13 workers who have recovered from the virus; one active worker case at Oak Ridge Health and Rehab; and four active resident cases at Timberlane Health and Rehab, where eight workers and seven residents have recovered from the virus.
An ADH spokesperson did not respond by presstime to a question about the gap between active cases reported on the state’s COVID-19 dashboard, where cases, recoveries, deaths, hospital and testing information is provided, and the nursing home report.
In the Southwest Public Health Region, where Union County is located, 85 people were hospitalized due to COVID-19 Wednesday, including 40 in intensive care units and 25 on ventilator support.
The cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in Arkansas grew by 982 Wednesday to reach 77,963. The cases in Arkansas Wednesday were made up of 75,646 confirmed cases, up 874 from Tuesday; and 2,317 probable cases, up 108 from Tuesday.
There were 69,952 Arkansans considered recovered Wednesday, up 768 from Tuesday. The number of active cases in the state grew to reach 6,777 Wednesday, made up of 6,383 confirmed cases and 394 probable cases. Active cases represented 8.7% of all of Arkansas’ cases Wednesday.
Twenty Arkansans’ deaths that were caused by COVID-19 were reported on Wednesday, bringing the state’s death toll to 1,229, indicating a state COVID mortality rate of 1.6%. There were 460 Arkansans hospitalized due to the virus on Wednesday, including 221 in ICUs and 89 on ventilator support.
Since the state began testing for COVID-19, 916,400 test results have been reported to the ADH, including 838,248 negatives, indicating a state COVID mortality rate of 8.5%.
At 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Johns Hopkins University reported 6,933,872 COVID19 cases in the United States. Of those, 2,646,959 were considered recovered, leaving 4,085,244 cases — 58.9% — active nationwide. There had been 201,669 deaths attributable to the virus in the U.S. by Wednesday afternoon, indicating a national COVID mortality rate of 2.9%.
Johns Hopkins reported 31,746,219 COVID19 cases worldwide Wednesday afternoon. Of those, 21,799,884 were considered recovered, leaving 8,972,816 cases — 28.3% — active around the world. There had been 973,519 deaths attributable to the virus by Wednesday afternoon, indicating a global COVID mortality rate of 3.1%.