The Arkansas Department of Health reported 12 new COVID-19 cases in Union County Wednesday, bringing the cumulative number of COVID cases identified locally to 948. The cases in the county Wednesday included 911 confirmed cases, up three from Tuesday, and 49 probable cases, up nine from Tuesday.
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 were reported Wednesday. Forty-seven Union County residents have died as a result of COVID-19.
Twelve new recoveries were reported in Union County Wednesday, bringing the number of local residents considered recovered from the virus to 877. There were 36 active cases in the county Wednesday, no change from Tuesday and representing 3.8% of all the cases that have been identified locally. The active cases in the county were made up of 23 confirmed cases and 13 probable cases.
In the Southwest Public Health Region of the state, where Union County is located, 84 people were hospitalized due to the virus Wednesday, including 40 in intensive care units and 15 on ventilator support.
The ADH reported 300 new negative test results returned from Union County Wednesday, indicating a one-day local positivity rate of 3.8% based on the number of new cases and results reported. In all, 10,852 COVID-19 test results have returned from Union County, including 9,892 negatives, indicating an overall local positivity rate of 8.8%.
The cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in Arkansas grew by 809 to reach 88,880 Wednesday. The cases in Arkansas Wednesday included 84,914 confirmed cases, up 684 from Tuesday, and 3,966 probable cases, up 125 from Tuesday.
Recoveries in Arkansas grew by 818 to reach 80,703 Wednesday. Active cases in the state decreased Wednesday by 22 to reach 6,686, representing 7.5% of all the cases identified in the state. The active cases in Arkansas Wednesday included 5,908 confirmed cases and 778 probable cases.
The ADH reported the deaths of 13 Arkansans that resulted from COVID-19 Wednesday, bringing the state’s death toll to 1,482, indicating a state COVID mortality rate of 1.7%. There were 519 Arkansans hospitalized due to the virus on Wednesday, including 235 in ICUs and 98 on ventilator support.
Since the state began testing for COVID-19, 1,121,921 test results have returned to the ADH, including 1,032,630 negatives, indicating that the state’s positivity rate was 7.9% Wednesday.
At 7 p.m. Wednesday, Johns Hopkins reported 7,544,612 COVID-19 cases in the United States. Of those, 2,999,895 were considered recovered, leaving 4,333,023 cases — 57.4% — active nationwide. There had been 211,694 deaths attributable to the virus in the U.S. by Wednesday afternoon, indicating a national COVID mortality rate of 2.8%.
Johns Hopkins reported 36,026,644 COVID-19 cases worldwide Wednesday afternoon. Of those, 25,117,417 were considered recovered, leaving 9,855,870 cases — 27.4% — active worldwide. There had been 1,053,357 deaths attributable to the virus by Wednesday afternoon, indicating a global COVID mortality rate of 2.9%.