County reports 15 new cases
There were 15 new COVID-19 cases reported Wednesday in Union County by the Arkansas Department of Health, bringing the cumulative total of cases identified locally to 3,744.
The cases in the county Wednesday included 2,851 confirmed cases, up 13 from Tuesday, and 893 probable cases, up two from Tuesday. The United States Centers for Disease Control considers positive results from PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests to be confirmed cases and positive results from antigen (rapid) tests to be probable cases.
Active cases grew to 47, an increase of 10 from Tuesday; they represented 1.3% of all the cases identified locally and included 35 confirmed cases and 12 probable cases. There were 3,597 Union County residents considered recovered from the virus Wednesday, up five from Tuesday.
Nine active cases were reported in the El Dorado School District on March 1, according to a report on COVID cases in educational institutions produced by the ADH. In all, 298 cases had been identified in the district, including 91 in staff and faculty and 195 in students.
The Medical Center of South Arkansas announced Monday in a post on its Facebook page that it had completed vaccinations for Union County educators and other school staff. The hospital’s priority is now on vaccinating people 65 or older, the post said. Those eligible for vaccination may call 870-8632620 during regular business hours to be added to MCSA’s vaccination waiting list.
Reports on active COVID cases in nursing homes, congregate living facilities and workplaces also produced by the ADH on March 1 did not include any sites in Union County.
No new local deaths caused by COVID-19 were reported Wednesday. A total of 100 Union County residents have died as a result of the virus. There were 58 people hospitalized due to COVID Wednesday in the Southwest hospital region of the state, where the county is located, including 25 in intensive care units and nine on ventilator support.
The ADH reported 19 new negative test results returned from Union County Wednesday. In all, 29,928 COVID-19 test results have returned from the county, including 26,184 negatives, indicating an overall local positivity rate of 12.5%.
Arkansas added 404 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday to its cumulative total, which reached 323,353. The cases in the state included 254,637 confirmed cases, up 284 from Tuesday, and 68,716 probable cases, up 120 from Tuesday.
The number of active cases in the state grew twice as much Wednesday as it did Tuesday, adding 24 cases to reach 4,278; they represented 1.3% of all the cases identified in Arkansas and included 2,862 confirmed cases and 1,416 probable cases. There were 313,799 Arkansans considered recovered from the virus Wednesday, up 373 from Tuesday.
The deaths of seven Arkansans that resulted from COVID-19 were reported Wednesday, bringing the state’s COVID death toll to 5,261, indicating a state COVID mortality rate of 1.6%. There were 397 people hospitalized Wednesday due to the virus, including 165 in ICUs and 91 on ventilator support.
Since the state began testing for the virus, 3,179,202 results have returned to the ADH, including 2,843,212 negatives, indicating an overall positivity rate of 10.2%.
Johns Hopkins University reported 28,764,731 COVID-19 cases in the United States at 3 p.m. Wednesday. Data wasn’t available then on the number of U.S. residents considered recovered from the virus or the number of active cases in the country. There had been 518,458 deaths caused by the virus reported in the U.S. by Wednesday afternoon, indicating a national COVID mortality rate of 1.8%.
Johns Hopkins reported 115,013,896 COVID19 cases worldwide Wednesday afternoon. There were 65,083,034 people considered recovered from the virus then, leaving 47,380,129 cases — 41.2% — active around the world. There had been 2,555,733 deaths caused by the virus reported by Wednesday afternoon, indicating a global COVID mortality rate of 2.2%.