One coronavirus-related death reported as recoveries surpass 3,700 in Union County

The Arkansas Department of Health reported four new COVID19 cases Friday in Union County, making the cumulative total of cases identified locally 3,843.

The number of confirmed cases, determined by positive PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests, identified locally stayed steady at 2,879 Friday; all of the new cases were probable cases, determined by positive antigen (rapid) tests, of which 964 have been identified locally.

One Union County resident’s death that resulted from COVID19 was reported Friday. Now, 102 local residents have died as a result of the virus, indicating a local COVID mortality rate — the percentage of people who have contracted the virus then died as a result — of 2.7%.

Active cases grew by five to reach 40 Friday; they represented 1% of all the cases identified locally and included 20 confirmed cases and 20 probable cases. Two new recoveries brought the total number of Union County residents considered recovered from the virus to 3,701 Friday.

In a March 11 report produced by the ADH on COVID cases in educational institutions, the El Dorado School District listed six active cases, out of 305 in total that have been identified within the district this school year. Of those, 91 cases were in staff and faculty members and 202 were in students, according to the report. The ADH reported Friday that in the Southwest hospital region of the state, where Union County sits, 90,024 doses of two-shot COVID vaccines, made by the Pfizer and Moderna pharmaceutical companies, had been administered. An ADH spokesperson said Friday morning that vaccinations performed using the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine had not yet been added to the total number of doses administered.

Approximately 18.3% of Southwest region residents had received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine by Friday afternoon, and 9.9% of the region’s population had gotten two vaccine doses.

There were 32 people hospitalized Friday due to the virus in the Southwest region, including 17 in intensive care units and eight on ventilator support.

The ADH reported 89 new negative test results returned from Union County Friday. In all, 30,625 COVID-19 test results have returned from Union County, including 26,782 negatives, indicating an overall local positivity rate of 12.5%.

Arkansas added 459 COVID-19 cases Friday to its cumulative total, which reached 326,499. The cases in the state included 256,864 confirmed cases, up 345 from Thursday, and 69,635 probable cases, up 114 from Thursday.

The number of active COVID cases in the state grew by 14 Friday to reach 3,158; they represented 1% of all the cases identified in Arkansas and included 2,351 confirmed cases and 807 probable cases. There were 317,883 Arkansans considered recovered from the virus Friday, up 418 from Thursday.

As of Friday afternoon, the state had received 1,389,730 vaccine doses, including Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot vaccine, and 816,397 doses, or 58.7%, of the two-shot vaccines had been administered to Arkansans.

The deaths of 27 Arkansans that resulted from COVID-19 were reported Friday, bringing the state’s death toll to 5,437, indicating a state COVID mortality rate of 1.7%. There were 259 Arkansans hospitalized due to the virus Friday, including 118 in ICUs and 64 on ventilator support.

The ADH reported Friday that 88,769 COVID-19 test results had returned to the state so far this month, including 7,135 that returned yesterday. Since the state began testing for the virus, 3,258,850 results have returned to the ADH, including 2,919,617 negatives, indicating an overall positivity rate for the state of 10%.