There were 42 new COVID-19 cases reported in Union County by the Arkansas Department of Health Wednesday, bringing the cumulative total of cases identified locally to 2,144. The cases in the county included 1,632 confirmed cases, up 23 from Tuesday, and 512 probable cases, up 19 from Tuesday.
Confirmed cases are determined by positive PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests, while probable cases are determined by positive antigen tests, per distinctions made by the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
One Union County resident’s death which resulted from COVID-19 was reported on Wednesday. Seventy local residents have now died as a result of the virus, indicating a local COVID mortality rate — the percentage of people who die after contracting the virus — of 3.3%.
The number of local active cases grew by eight Wednesday to reach 229; active cases represented 10.7% of all the cases identified locally and included 116 confirmed cases and 113 probable cases. There were 1,845 Union County residents considered recovered from the virus Wednesday, up 33 from Tuesday.
A report on COVID-19 cases in schools produced by the ADH on Dec. 21 showed active cases in both the El Dorado and Parkers Chapel school districts.
According to the report, as of Dec. 21, there were 26 active cases in the ESD, and a total of 145 cases had been identified in the district, including 49 in staff or faculty and 94 in students. There were 10 active cases in the PCSD, and a total of 39 cases had been identified in the district, including 12 in staff or faculty and 23 in students.
Local school districts are currently closed for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. With three days left in the fall semester, the PCSD announced a pivot to virtual learning on Dec. 15, which took effect the following day. Superintendent Michael White said the district will return to on-campus instruction at the start of the spring semester on Jan. 4, 2021.
In the Southwest hospital region of the state, where Union County is located, there were 162 people hospitalized due to the virus Wednesday, including 51 in intensive care units and 23 on ventilator support.
The ADH reported 225 new negative test results returned from Union County Wednesday, indicating a one-day local positivity rate of 15.7% based on the number of new cases and results reported. In all, 19,475 COVID-19 test results have returned from Union County, including 17,331 negatives, indicating an overall local positivity rate of 11%.
Statewide, 2,893 new COVID-19 cases were identified Wednesday, bringing the cumulative total of cases in Arkansas to 207,941. The cases in the state included 174,782 confirmed cases, up 2,000 from Tuesday, and 33,159 probable cases, up 893 from Tuesday.
Active cases grew to 22,516 Wednesday, up 537 from Tuesday; they represented 10.8% of all the cases identified in the state and included 16,374 confirmed cases and 6,142 probable cases. There were 182,024 Arkansans considered recovered from the virus Wednesday, up 2,318 from Tuesday.
The deaths of 38 Arkansans that were a result of COVID-19 were reported Wednesday, bringing the state’s death toll to 3,376, indicating a state COVID mortality rate of 1.6%. There were 1,110 Arkansans hospitalized due to the virus Wednesday, setting a new record; included in the Arkansans hospitalized were 340 in ICUs and 174 on ventilator support.
The ADH reported 12,301 new COVID-19 test results returned Wednesday, indicating a one-day positivity rate for the state of 23.5% based on the number of new cases and results reported. Since the state began testing for the virus, 2,187,353 results have returned to the ADH, including 1,972,722 negatives, indicating an overall positivity rate for the state of 9.5%.
At 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Johns Hopkins University reported 18,402,363 COVID-19 cases in the United States. Data wasn’t available on the number of U.S. residents considered recovered or the number of active cases in the U.S. By Wednesday afternoon, 325,358 deaths attributable to the virus had been reported in the U.S., indicating a national COVID mortality rate of 1.8%.
Johns Hopkins reported 78,494,742 COVID-19 cases worldwide Wednesday afternoon. There were 44,221,529 people considered recovered from the virus, leaving 32,546,884 cases — 41.5% — active around the world. There had been 1,726,329 deaths attributable to the virus reported by Wednesday afternoon, indicating a global COVID mortality rate of 2.2%.