An Arkansas Department of Health spokesperson said Wednesday that 335 confirmed COVID-19 cases had been identified in Union County, representing an increase of two new cases from Tuesday.
Of those, 260 were considered recovered Wednesday, up four from Tuesday, leaving 61 cases active, down two from Tuesday. Active cases represented 18.2% of the cumulative number of cases in the county on Wednesday.
No new local deaths resulting from the virus were reported Wednesday. Fourteen Union County residents have died due to COVID-19.
According to a congregate living settings report produced each week day by the ADH, another worker at Timberlane Health and Rehab has tested positive for COVID-19; in all, seven workers there have tested positive for the virus, four of whom have since recovered.
There were no other changes reported Wednesday for any of the other congregate living settings in Union County where COVID-19 has been identified, which include Courtyard Healthcare and Rehabilitation, where one resident cases remains active; Advanced Health and Rehab of Union County, where two worker cases remain active; and Community Living Arrangements, where one worker case remains active.
The ADH reported 2o new negative COVID-19 test results returned from Union County Wednesday, indicating a one-day local positivity rate of 9.09%. In all, there have been 3,974 results returned from the county, with 3,639 negatives, indicating an overall local positvity rate of 8.42%.
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Arkansas increased by 591 Wednesday to reach 35,246. Of those, 27,990 were considered recovered on Wednesday, leaving 6,876 cases — 19.50% — active statewide.
Governor Asa Hutchinson reported that six more Arkansans had died as a result of COVID-19, bringing the state’s death toll to 380, indicating a state COVID mortality rate of 1.07%. The number of Arkansans hospitalized due to the virus decreased to 474 Wednesday, and the number of Arkansans on ventilator support decreased by three.
Hutchinson noted that the number of tests reported Wednesday, 3,933, was down from previous days. He has said in recent weeks that securing testing reagents needed to process COVID-19 tests has been difficult for the state, and has noted a lag in turnaround time from the commercial laboratories the state works with. The one-day state positivity rate was 15.02% based on the number of test results and cases reported.
Hutchinson again urged Arkansans to abide by his statewide mask mandate, which went into effect Monday.
“We all need to do everything we can to stop this virus. There’s things the state does, but there’s things that each individual has to do that nobody else can do for them — that is to socially distance, wear a mask,” he said. “Exercise personal responsibility, and as we get closer to the school time, you’ll see that positivity rate go down.”
Since the state began testing for COVID-19, 445,467 test results have been reported to the ADH, with 410,221 negatives, indicating an overall state positivity rate of 7.91%.
Dr. Jose Romero, interim ADH Secretary, said Wednesday that Arkansas deviates from national trends in the age groups most affected by COVID-19 in that most cases identified in the state have been in those 44 or younger.
According to ADH data, as of Tuesday, 63% of COVID-19 cases identified in the state have been in those under the age of 44, with 12% in those younger than 18, 14% in those 18 to 24 years old and 37% in those 25 to 44 years old.
Mike Preston, Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Commerce, said Wednesday that continued unemployment claims were down this week to 92,000 from a peak in May of 122,000. He also highlighted the state’s unemployment rate of 8% in June, lower than the national rate of 11.1%. In February, before the pandemic hit Arkansas, the unemployment rate was 3.5%, he said.
Preston said Pandemic Unemployment Assistance payments, $600 added to state unemployment benefits funded by the federal CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act are scheduled to expire July 25, though he noted that Congress is currently considering another relief package related to the ongoing pandemic.
“We’re paying close attention,” he said.
Johns Hopkins University reported 3,941,741 COVID-19 cases in the United States at 5:40 p.m. Wednesday. Of those, 1,182,018 were considered recovered, leaving 2,616,967 cases — 66.29% — active nationwide. There had been 142,756 deaths attributable to the virus in the U.S. by Wednesday afternoon, indicating a national COVID mortality rate of 3.62%.
Johns Hopkins reported 15,056,149 COVID-19 cases worldwide Wednesday afternoon. Of those, 8,557,991 were considered recovered, leaving 5,938,371 cases — 39.44% — active around the world. There had been 619,748 deaths attributable to the virus by Wednesday afternoon, indicating a global COVID mortality rate of 4.11%.