Cases continue to increase in Union County
Almost 200 cases active Saturday
There were 135 COVID-19 cases identified in Union County between Sunday, August 22, and Saturday, bringing the county’s seven-day positivity rate near 20% as testing for the virus also slowed.
By Saturday, there were 199 active cases of the virus in the county.
Statewide, case growth slowed somewhat, with 13,340 new cases identified last week compared to more that 14,000 the week before. One hundred eighty Arkansans died as a result of the virus last week.
Schools and pediatric cases
The Arkansas Department of Health began reporting on COVID-19 cases in children last week, and as of Saturday, more than 76,000 cases have been identified in individuals ages zero to 18; of those, more than 7,000 were active Saturday.
In the Southwest hospital region of the state, where Union County sits, 375 pediatric COVID cases were active as of Saturday, out of 6,442 total pediatric cases identified in the region since the
pandemic began.
Of those children who have contracted COVID-19 in Arkansas, 745 have been hospitalized as a result, and 100 have been admitted to an ICU. Three people 17 or younger had died as a result of the virus as of Saturday.
The ADH reported Saturday that 97.7% of COVID cases identified in people 12 to 18 years old were in unvaccinated children, while 28.9% of people in that age group were fully immunized and 15.2% were partially immunized.
According to the ADH, as of August 26, 15 COVID-19 cases had been identified in the Parkers Chapel School District since August 21, including seven that were active on August 26.The district implemented a temporary mask mandate last week after more than 90 students had to quarantine due to COVID exposure in the first two weeks of school.
The El Dorado School District reported 12 total cases since August 21, including nine that were active August 26, according to the ADH. The Junction City School District also reported six total cases this school year, including five that were active August 26. South Arkansas Community College reported 11 total cases, including six active on August 26.
On Monday, both the El Dorado and Smackover-Norphlet school boards will meet to discuss COVID-19.
Nursing homes
As of August 23, three nursing homes in Union County were reporting COVID-19 cases in the facilities, according to an ADH report.
Advanced Health and Rehabilitation reported that one resident had tested positive for the virus on August 19.
They joined a staff member at the home who tested positive the same day.
Hudson Memorial Nursing Home still reported three resident cases, with the most recent being identified on August 9, along with one worker case that was identified August 12.
Timberlane Health and Rehabilitation reported two worker cases, according to the report, with the most recent positive test having returned on August 21.
According to the ADH, in the two weeks preceding August 23, 175 nursing home residents across Arkansas have tested positive for COVID-19, along with 262 nursing home workers.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began last year, Advanced Health and Rehab has reported 45 resident cases and 49 worker cases, along with seven resident deaths; Hudson has reported 70 resident cases and 57 worker cases, along with 21 resident deaths; and Timberlane has reported 74 resident cases and 46 worker cases, along with 10 resident deaths.
Vaccines
In Union County, 823 vaccine doses were administered last week, while statewide, 84,969 doses were administered
During his weekly COVID-19 update last Tuesday, Gov. Asa Hutchinson again encouraged all Arkansans to get vaccinated. He continued to emphasize the role vaccination will play in slowing and eventually ending the pandemic via social media throughout the week.
“Over 11,000 doses administered is a good number,” he wrote in a Tweet Friday, “but we need to keep increasing. Find a vaccine location near you this weekend to protect yourself against the Delta Variant.”
Booster vaccine shots are currently available in Arkansas for people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised. Dr. Jose Romero, state health secretary, said earlier this week that vaccines will also help to prevent over-crowding of Arkansas’s hospitals.
“The way out of this problem at this point is vaccination,” Romero said. “Without it, we’re going to continue to exceed the number of (ICU) beds we make available; so each time we make beds available, they will become filled. It is important for everyone to understand that vaccines are the way out.”
Vaccines are free to all and one does not need health insurance to get a COVID-19 shot.
Three COVID-19 vaccines developed by pharmaceutical companies Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson have been approved for use in the United States. The Pfizer vaccine has received full approval from the FDA for use in people 16 and older, and has emergency use authorization for use in people as young as 12 years old, while the latter two vaccines are approved for use in anyone over the age of 18.
In Union County, COVID vaccines are available by appointment at Melvin’s Discount Pharmacy, Walmart, Walgreens and the Union County Local Health Unit. To set a vaccination appointment at Melvin’s, call 870863-4155; for Walmart, visit walmart.com/COVID; for Walgreens, visit walgreens. com/findcare/vaccination/ covid/19/landing and for the Local Health Unit, call 1-800-985-6030.
COVID testing is also available in Union County at SAMA, at 600 S. Timberlane in El Dorado; Medical Center of South Arkansas, at 700 W. Grove in El Dorado; Walgreens at 701 W. Grove and 2135 N. West Ave in El Dorado; the Union County Local Health Unit, at 301 American Rd. in El Dorado; and the Strong Clinic, at 253 S. Concord in Strong.