The Arkansas Department of Health reported eight new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Union County Friday, bringing the cumulative number of cases identified in Union County to 472.
Of those, 375 were considered recovered Friday, up 10 from Thursday. Active cases in Union County saw a net decrease of two, dropping to 80; they represented 16.94% of the county’s cumulative number of cases.
No new local deaths attributable to COVID-19 were reported Friday. Seventeen Union County residents have died as a result of the virus.
No changes were reported at any of the congregate living facilities where COVID-19 has been identified in Union County. On Thursday, the report distributed each week day by the ADH on congregate living setting cases was updated to reflect a change in the definition of recoveries for those residing in such facilities and recoveries are no longer included in the report.
According to Friday’s report, active COVID-19 cases were present at Advanced Health and Rehab of Union County, where three workers have reportedly tested positive; Timberlane Health and Rehab, where six workers have reportedly tested positive, along with one resident who has died as a result of the virus; and Community Living Arrangements, where nine residents and four workers have reportedly tested positive.
The ADH reported 51 new negative test results returned Friday, indicating a one-day local positivity rate of 13.55%. In all, 4,758 COVID-19 test results have returned from Union County, with 4,286 negatives, indicating an overall local positivity rate of 9.92%.
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Arkansas grew by 1,011 to reach 48,039 on Friday. Of those, 40,360 were considered recovered, leaving 7,158 cases — 14.9% of the cumulative total — active statewide. The increase in cases is the third-largest the state has seen yet, and active cases in the state were at their second-highest level ever Friday.
The deaths of six Arkansans that resulted from COVID-19 were reported Friday, bringing the state’s death toll to 521, indicating a state COVID mortality rate of 1.08%. There was a net increase of nine Arkansans hospitalized due to the virus Friday, bringing the total number to 523. The number of Arkansans on ventilator support increased by five to 116.
Governor Asa Hutchinson announced Friday that he had signed an executive order codifying the COVID-excuse absentee voting announcement he made last month. Anyone concerned about COVID-19 will be allowed to absentee vote in the November 3 general election.
The EO also will allow county clerks to prepare absentee ballots to be counted starting when polls open on Election Day at 8:30 a.m.
“Our absentee ballot requests have increased rather dramatically,” Hutchinson said Friday.
He also announced that he is supporting a proposal to provide $20 million from the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act for COVID-related leave for teachers and support staff in public schools in Arkansas, which they would be allowed to use before dipping into any personal time off in the case of necessary quarantine or isolation due to a COVID-19 exposure.
“We tried to estimate high, because we certainly do not know the level of outbreaks we could have,” Arkansas Department of Education Secretary Johnny Key said Friday. “This is available to teachers and support staff, classified employees such as bus drivers, cafeteria workers.”
The proposal will be presented to the state’s CARES Act Steering Committee next week, Hutchinson said.
There were 6,224 COVID-19 tests performed in Arkansas Thursday, bringing the total number of tests performed so far in August to 34,507. Since the state began testing for COVID-19, 551,523 results have returned to the ADH, with 503,484 negatives, indicating an overall positivity rate for the state of 8.7%.
According to Johns Hopkins University, there were 4,918,927 COVID-19 cases in the United States at 5 p.m. Friday. Of those, 1,598,624 were considered recovered, leaving 3,159,566 cases — 64.23% — active nationwide. There had been 160,737 deaths attributable to the virus by Friday afternoon, indicating a national COVID mortality rate of 3.26%.
Johns Hopkins reported 19,193,661 COVID-19 cases worldwide Friday afternoon. Of those, 11,611,029 were considered recovered, leaving 6,865,897 cases — 35.77% — active around the world. There had been 716,735 deaths attributable to the virus by Friday afternoon, indicating a global COVID mortality rate of 3.73%.