Forty new COVID cases reported in county; active cases up to 177
Arkansas sees highest single-day case increase yet
Active cases rose to their highest level yet in Union County Thursday as the Arkansas Department of Health reported 40 new COVID-19 cases locally along with the most new cases seen in one day statewide.
The cumulative total of COVID-19 cases in Union County rose to 1,949 Thursday and included 1,538 confirmed cases, up 10 from Wednesday, and 411 probable cases, up 30 from Thursday.
Confirmed cases are determined by positive PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests, while probable cases are determined by positive antigen tests.
Active cases rose by 19 to reach 177, the highest they've been yet in the county; active cases in on Thursday represented 9.1% of all the cases identified locally and included 102 confirmed cases and 75 probable cases. There were 1,707 Union County residents considered recovered Thursday, up 21 from Wednesday.
A report on COVID cases in educational institutions produced by the ADH on Thursday included the El Dorado, Parkers Chapel and Smackover-Norphlet School Districts. According to the report, in the ESD, there were 26 active cases and 124 cases, 42 in staff or faculty and 80 in students, had been identified in total. In the PCSD, there were six active cases and 31 cases, nine in staff and faculty and 20 in students, had been identified. In the SNSD, five cases were active 58 cases, 17 in staff and faculty and 40 in students, had been identified.
The first batch of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine arrived at the Medical Center of South Arkansas Thursday, with several frontline health care workers receiving vaccinations. A second vaccine developed by Moderna, Inc. was found to be safe and effective by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and could be headed for emergency use authorization, as the Pfizer vaccine was approved for, later this week, according to several national news outlets.
No new local deaths attributable to COVID-19 were reported Thursday. Sixtyfive Union County residents have died as a result of the virus. In the Southwest hospital region of the state, where the county sits, there were 149 people hospitalized due to COVID Thursday, including 63 in intensive care units and 25 on ventilator support.
The ADH reported 196 new negative test results returned from Union County Thursday, indicating a one-day local positivity rate of 16.9% based on the number of new cases and results reported. In all, 18,073 COVID-19 test results have returned from Union County, including 16,124 negatives, indicating an overall local positivity rate of 10.8%.
Arkansas added over 3,000 new COVID-19 cases to its total Thursday for the first time since the first case was identified in the state on March 11. There were 3,039 new cases reported in the state Thursday, bringing the cumulative total of cases in Arkansas to 194,543. The cases included 165,512 confirmed cases, up 2,282 from Wednesday, and 29,031 probable cases, up 757 from Wednesday.
Active cases grew by 885 to reach 21,659 Thursday; they represented 11.1% of all the cases in the state and included 16,446 confirmed cases and 5,213 probable cases. There were 169,745 Arkansans considered recovered Thursday, up 2,114 from Wednesday.
The deaths of 38 Arkansans that resulted from COVID-19 were reported Thursday, bringing the state's death toll to 3,112, indicating a state COVID mortality rate of 1.6%. There were 1,084 Arkansans hospitalized due to the virus Thursday, including 374 in ICUs and 188 on ventilator support.
The ADH reported 17,331 new COVID-19 test results returned Thursday, indicating a one-day positivity rate for the state of 17.5% based on the number of new cases and results reported. Since the state began testing for the virus, 2,093,973 results have returned to the ADH, including 1,893,228 negatives, indicating an overall positivity rate for the state of 9.3%.
At 2:15 p.m. Thursday, Johns Hopkins University reported 17,110,219 COVID-19 cases in the United States. Data was not available on the number of U.S. residents considered recovered from the virus or the number of active cases in the U.S. By Thursday afternoon, 309,334 deaths attributable to the virus had been reported in the U.S., indicating a national COVID mortality rate of 1.8%.
Johns Hopkins reported 74,687,157 COVID19 cases worldwide Thursday afternoon. There were 42,193,387 people considered recovered from the virus then, leaving 30,836,638 cases — 41.3% — active around the world. There had been 1,657,132 deaths attributable to the virus reported by Thursday afternoon, indicating a global COVID mortality rate of 2.2%.