Number of covid-19 cases falls for second week in a row

The number of active positive covid-19 cases reported in Siloam Springs fell for the second week in a row.

The geographic area of Siloam Springs School District had 121 known new infections during the 14-day period ending on Jan. 25, bringing the cumulative total to 2,286 infections, according to the Arkansas Center for Health Information (ACHI) website, achi.net. The area had a rate of 52 known infections per 10,000 residents during the time period.

In comparison, there were 183 new known infections in the 14-day period ending on Jan. 18, a rate of 78 cases per 10,000 residents and a cumulative total of 2,168 cases, the site stated.

The community of Siloam Springs had 115 new infections, or a rate of 52 infections per 10,000 residents, during the 14-day period ending on Jan. 25, the website states. About 10 percent of the community, or a cumulative total of 2,223 people, have been infected, it states.

The numbers are down from Jan. 18, when there were 175 new known infections, a rate of 78 new infections per 10,000 residents and a cumulative total of 2,123 infections.

Six Siloam Springs residents died of covid-19 related causes in January, bringing the total number of deaths to 31, according to the Benton County Coroner’s website.

All Siloam Springs Schools pivoted to online instruction last week after a number of transportation department employees were affected by the virus. Students were allowed to continue attending school in person if they had their own transportation and their needs were better served at school.

The district reported on Thursday that 11 students had active positive cases and 117 were in quarantine after being identified as probable close contacts. Fifteen staff members had active positive cases and 21 were in quarantine.

Siloam Springs Nursing and Rehab was not on the Arkansas Department of Health’s Jan. 25 list of nursing home facilities that have had covid-19 cases in the past two weeks. The facility has had a cumulative total of 38 staff cases, 60 patient cases and 11 deaths, according to the Jan. 14 report.

Other communities in Northwest Arkansas had the following rates of new known infections:

• Gentry — 52 infections per 10,000 residents

• Lincoln — 67 infections per 10,000 residents

• Bentonville — 62 infections per 10,000 residents

• Rogers — 75 infections per 10,000 residents

• Springdale — 73 infections per 10,000 residents

• Fayetteville — 66 infections per 10,000 residents.