The Arkansas Department of Health reported 11 new COVID-19 cases in Union County Friday, bringing the cumulative number of COVID cases identified locally to 935. The cases in the county Friday included 897 confirmed cases, up eight from Thursday and 38 probable cases, up three from Thursday.
According to the United States Centers for Disease Control, the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests that determine which cases are considered confirmed are more sensitive than the antigen tests that determine the cases that are considered probable.
No new local deaths attributable to the virus were reported Friday. Forty-six Union County residents have died as a result of COVID-19.
Ten new recoveries were reported in Union County Friday, bringing the number of local residents considered recovered from the virus to 848. There were 41 active cases in the county Friday, up one from Thursday and representing 4.4% of all the cases that have been identified locally. The active cases in the county Friday were made up of 31 confirmed cases and 10 probable cases.
In the Southwest Public Health Region, where Union County is located, 76 people were hospitalized due to the virus Friday, including 34 in intensive care units and 22 on ventilator support.
The ADH reported 69 new negative test results returned from Union County Friday, indicating a one-day local positivity rate of 13.8% based on the number of new cases and results reported. In all, 10,330 COVID-19 test results have returned from Union County, including 9,395 negatives, indicating an overall local positivity rate of 9.1%.
The cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in Arkansas grew by 958 to reach 85,779 Friday. The cases in Arkansas Friday included 82,309 confirmed cases, up 778 from Thursday, and 3,470 probable cases, up 180 from Thursday.
Recoveries in Arkansas grew by 864 to reach 77,050 Friday. Active cases in the state also grew Friday by 86 to reach 7,330, representing 8.5% of all the cases identified in the state. The active cases in Arkansas Friday included 6,583 confirmed cases and 757 probable cases.
The ADH reported the deaths of seven Arkansans that resulted from COVID-19 Friday, bringing the state’s death toll to 1,391, indicating a state COVID mortality rate of 1.6%. There were 473 Arkansans hospitalized due to the virus on Friday, including 222 in ICUs and 89 on ventilator support.
Since the state began testing for COVID-19, 1,066,849 test results have returned to the ADH, including 980,724 negatives, indicating that the state’s positivity rate was 8% Friday.
President Donald Trump reported around midnight on Oct. 2 that he and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for COVID-19. The president subsequently was transported to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Friday afternoon, where, according to the White House, he will work “for the next few days.”
At 6 p.m. Friday, Johns Hopkins reported 7,325,715 COVID-19 cases in the United States. Of those, 2,860,650 were considered recovered, leaving 4,256,465 cases — 58.1% — active nationwide. There had been 208,600 deaths attributable to the virus in the U.S., indicating a national COVID mortality rate of 2.8%.
Johns Hopkins reported 34,460,100 COVID-19 cases worldwide Friday afternoon. Of those, 23,917,167 were considered recovered, leaving 9,517,366 cases — 27.6% — active around the world. There had been 1,025,567 deaths attributable to the virus by Friday afternoon, indicating a global COVID mortality rate of 3%.