The Arkansas Department of Health reported six new confirmed COVID-19 cases in Union County Saturday, bringing the cumulative number of cases identified locally to 478.
Of those, 381 were considered recovered Saturday, up six from Friday. Active cases stayed steady at 80, representing 16.78% of the cumulative number of local cases.
No new local deaths resulting from COVID-19 were reported Saturday. Seventeen Union County residents have died as a result of the virus.
The ADH reported 47 new negative test results returned from Union County Saturday, indicating a one-day local positivity rate of 11.32% based on the number of new cases and results reported. In all, 4,811 COVID-19 test results have returned from Union County, with 4,333 negatives, indicating an overall local positivity rate of 9.93%.
The Arkansas Center for Health Improvement (ACHI) released an update on city- and community-level COVID-19 data Friday, recent through August 3. The ACHI included the number of people who are members of a city’s community but live outside the city limits of municipalities.
The ACHI also included a list of cities where 10 or fewer COVID-19 cases have been identified, as well as a list of where 10 or fewer active cases remain, data which has previously not been provided.
As of Aug. 3, 338 COVID-19 cases had been reported from El Dorado, 336 of which were in city residents, representing 1.08% of the city’s population; 11 cases had been reported from Huttig, all of which were in city residents, representing 1.01% of the city’s population; 26 cases had been reported from Junction City, 25 of which were in city residents, representing 1% of the city’s population; 16 cases had been reported from Smackover, with 17 reported from city residents, representing .78% of the city’s population; and 25 cases had been reported from Strong, all of which were in city residents, representing 1.43% of the city’s population. It’s unclear why Smackover showed a higher number of community cases than city cases; the News-Times has reached out to the ACHI for more information.
El Dorado was the only city in the county to report more than 10 cases still active on Aug. 3; 27 cases, all in city residents, were still active as of then, representing .25% of the city’s population. Huttig, Junction City, Mount Holly, Norphlet, Smackover and Strong all reported fewer than 10 but more than 0 cases still active in their cities. Mount Holly and Norphlet both reported fewer than 10 but more than 0 cumulative cases in the cities.
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Arkansas grew by 772 Saturday to reach 48,811. Of those, 40,977 were considered recovered, leaving 7,299 cases — 14.95% of the cumulative number of cases — active statewide. The number of active cases in Arkansas was at its highest level yet Saturday.
Fourteen Arkansans’ deaths resulting from COVID-19 were reported Saturday, bringing the state’s death toll to 535, indicating a state COVID mortality rate of 1.09%.
There was a net decrease of 26 in the number of Arkansans hospitalized due to the virus, bringing the number down to 497. The number of Arkansans on ventilator support increased by one to 117.
Governor Asa Hutchinson urged Arkansans to wear face masks this weekend in a post on Twitter.
“As we get closer to the start of school, it is more important than ever for each of us to do our part to slow the spread. Remember to wear a mask, and have a safe weekend,” his tweet read.
According to the ADH, 5,686 COVID-19 tests were performed Friday. So far in August, 40,420 tests have been performed. Since the state began testing for COVID-19, 558,074 results have been reported to the ADH, with 509,263 negatives, indicating an overall positivity rate for the state of 8.74%.
Johns Hopkins University reported 4,986,345 COVID-19 cases in the United States at 5:15 p.m. Saturday. Of those, 1,623,870 were considered recovered, leaving 3,200,231 cases — 64.17% active nationwide. There had been 162,244 deaths attributable to the virus in the U.S. by Saturday afternoon, indicating a national COVID mortality rate of 3.25%.
Worldwide, COVID-19 cases had reached 19,481,330 by Saturday afternoon, according to Johns Hopkins. Of those, 11,801,847 were considered recovered, leaving 6,955,884 cases — 35.7% — active around the world. There had been 723,599 deaths attributable to the virus by Saturday afternoon, indicating a global COVID mortality rate of 3.71%.