There were 14 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Union County by the Arkansas Department of Health on Sunday, bringing the cumulative total of cases identified locally to 1,450. The cases in the county Sunday included 1,241 confirmed cases, up 13 from Saturday, and 209 probable cases, up one from Saturday.
According to the United States Centers for Disease Control, the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests that determine confirmed cases are more sensitive than the antigen tests that determine probable cases.
The number of local active COVID-19 cases hit a new high for the fifth day in a row, growing by seven to reach 131 Sunday; they represented 9% of all the cases identified in Union County, and included 94 confirmed cases and 37 probable cases. There were 1,263 Union County residents considered recovered Sunday, up seven from Saturday.
The Arkansas Center for Health Improvement released school district-level COVID data updated through Nov. 16 this week. The data includes all COVID-19 cases identified within a school district’s catchment area, so cases aren’t limited to ones that have been found in district staff, faculty or students.
According to the ACHI, as of Nov. 16, 731 cases had been identified in the El Dorado School District, including 46 new cases in the last two weeks; 132 cases had been identified in the Junction City School District’s catchment area, including seven new in the last two weeks; 67 cases had been identified in the Parkers Chapel School District’s catchment area; 152 cases had been identified in the Smackover-Norphlet School District’s catchment area, including 15 new in the last two weeks; and 96 cases had been identified in the Strong-Huttig School District’s catchment area, including six new in the last two wees.
The ACHI reported that Union County’s per capita testing rate in the past two weeks was 252 for every 10,000 residents. The rate of case growth was also reported for each school district. In the ESD’s catchment area, the per capita growth rate was 18 new cases for every 10,000 residents over the last two weeks; in the JCSD’s catchment area, it was 20 new cases for every 10,000 residents in the last two weeks; in the SNSD’s catchment area, it was 25 new cases for every 10,000 residents in the last two weeks; and in the SHSD’s catchment area, it was 21 new cases for every 10,000 residents in the last two weeks.
No new local deaths attributable to COVID-19 were reported Sunday. Fifty-six Union County residents have died as a result of the virus. In the Southwest hospital region of the state, where Union County sits, there were 144 people hospitalized due to the virus Sunday, including 62 in intensive care units and 24 on ventilator support.
The ADH reported 42 new negative test results returned from Union County Sunday, indicating a one-day positivity rate of 25% based on the number of new cases and results reported. In all, 15,239 COVID-19 test results have returned from Union County, including 13,789 negatives, indicating an overall local positivity rate of 9.5%.
In Arkansas, the cumulative number of cases grew by 1,352 to reach 145,173 Sunday. The cases in the state included 128,493 confirmed cases, up 1,277 from Saturday, and 16,680 probable cases, up 75 from Saturday.
Active cases in the state dropped by 99 to reach 17,646 Sunday; they represented 12.2% of all the cases in Arkansas and included 13,714 confirmed cases and 2,932 probable cases. There were 125,153 Arkansans considered recovered from the virus Sunday, up 1,431 from Saturday.
The deaths of 20 Arkansans that resulted from COVID-19 were reported Sunday, bringing the state’s death toll to 2,357, indicating a state COVID mortality rate of 1.6%. There were 961 Arkansans hospitalized due to the virus Sunday, including 371 in ICUs and 163 on ventilator support.
Since the state began testing for COVID-19, 1,711,844 results have returned to the ADH, including 1,563,399 negatives, indicating an overall positivity rate for the state of 8.5%.
At 2:45 p.m. Sunday, Johns Hopkins University reported 12,189,797 COVID-19 cases in the United States. Of those, 4,529,700 people were considered recovered, leaving 7,403,564 cases — 60.7% — active nationwide. There had been 256,533 deaths attributable to the virus in the U.S. by Sunday afternoon, indicating a national COVID mortality rate of 2.1%.
Johns Hopkins reported 58,483,683 COVID-19 cases worldwide Sunday afternoon. Of those, 37,384,875 people were considered recovered, leaving 19,713,309 cases — 33.7% — active around the world. There had been 1,385,499 deaths attributable to the virus by Sunday afternoon, indicating a global COVID mortality rate of 2.4%.