The Arkansas Department of Health reported five new confirmed COVID-19 cases in Union County Monday, bringing the cumulative number of cases identified in the county to 504.
The ADH also reported another death resulting from COVID-19 in a Union County resident Monday. In all, 18 Union County residents have died as a result of the virus, indicating a local COVID mortality rate — the percentage of those who have had the virus and died as a result of it — of 3.57%.
Of the cumulative case total, 396 were considered recovered Monday, up seven from Sunday. The number of cases that were still active in Union County dropped by three from Sunday to 90. Active cases represented 17.85% of the cumulative number of cases identified in the county.
A congregate settings report produced by the ADH on Monday showed no changes in the number of cases identified in congregate living facilities, like nursing homes and group homes, in Union County Monday. According to the report, three worker cases in all had been identified at Advanced Health and Rehab of Union County; six worker cases and one resident case in all had been identified at Timberlane Health and Rehab; and nine resident cases and four worker cases had been identified at Community Living Arrangements.
The congregate settings report produced Monday did not include deaths associated with COVID-19 within the facilities included in it. A spokesperson for the ADH said the department is in the process of refining how it releases data on such cases, and as they do so, some data points may be temporarily unavailable.
The ADH reported 41 new negative test results returned from Union County Monday, indicating a one-day local positivity rate of 10.86% based on the number of new cases and results reported. In all, 4,984 COVID-19 test results have returned from Union County, with 4,480 negatives, indicating an overall local positivity rate of 10.11%.
The number of COVID-19 cases in Arkansas grew by 645 Monday to reach a cumulative total of 50,028 cases. Of those, 42,130 were considered recovered Monday, leaving 7,343 cases — 14.67% of the cumulative total — active statewide.
The deaths of 11 Arkansans that resulted from COVID-19 were reported Monday. Governor Asa Hutchinson said about half of those had died before the 24-hour period preceding his daily press conference on COVID-19 but were reported with a delay. In all, 555 Arkansans have died as a result of the virus, indicating a state COVID mortality rate of 1.1%.
Six fewer Arkansans were hospitalized due to the virus Monday than were Sunday; 508 in all were in the hospital due to COVID-19 Monday. There were two more Arkansans on ventilator support Monday, 117 in all.
ADH Secretary Dr. Jose Romero spoke Monday about a respiratory viral syndrome (RSV) that has been recorded in recent years that can cause acute paralysis in children. He said the United States Centers for Disease Control has advised that RSV cases could increase this year, making it even more important that children wear face coverings and practice good hand hygiene.
“It’s another reason why wearing masks and washing hands is important, because we believe that it is also transmitted through respiratory excretions and poor hand hygiene,” Romero, who is a noted pediatrician and who has been recognized by the CDC for his work promoting childhood immunizations, said.
Mike Preston, secretary for the Arkansas Department of Commerce, said Monday there were still 120,000 Arkansans collecting unemployment from both the traditional program and the pandemic assistance program provided for by the federal CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act. He said that is an improvement from May, when 122,000 Arkansans were collecting from the traditional unemployment alone. He said $1.3 billion has been spent on pandemic unemployment assistance in Arkansas.
There were 5,341 COVID-19 tests performed in Arkansas on Sunday. So far in August, 52,946 tests have been performed statewide. Since the state began testing for COVID-19, 569,320 test results have been reported to the ADH, with 519,292 negatives, indicating an overall positivity rate for the state of 8.78%.
According to Johns Hopkins University, there were 5,079,941 COVID-19 cases in the United States at 6:15 p.m. Monday. Of those, 1,670,755 were considered recovered, leaving 3,245,855 cases — 63.89% — active nationwide. There had been 163,331 deaths attributable to the virus by Monday afternoon, indicating a national COVID mortality rate of 3.21%.
Johns Hopkins reported 19,971,615 COVID-19 cases worldwide Monday afternoon. Of those, 12,200,847 were considered recovered Monday, leaving 7,037,665 cases — 35.23% — active around the world. There had been 733,103 deaths attributable to the virus by Monday afternoon, indicating a global COVID mortality rate of 3.67%.