The Arkansas Department of Health reported 23 new COVID-19 cases in Union County Thursday, bringing the cumulative number of cases identified locally to 983. The cases in the county Thursday included 923 confirmed cases, up 12 from Wednesday, and 60 probable cases, up 11 from Wednesday.
Advisories from the United States Centers for Disease Control say that positive PCR (polymerase chain reaction) COVID-19 test results should be considered confirmed cases, while positive antigen test results determine probable cases.
No additional local residents were reported to have died as a result of COVID-19 Thursday. Forty-seven Union County residents have died as a result of the virus. In the Southwest Public Health Region of Arkansas, where Union County is located, there were 93 people hospitalized because of the virus Thursday, including 42 in intensive care units and 16 on ventilator support.
Thirteen new recoveries were reported in Union County on Thursday, bringing the total number of local residents considered recovered from the virus to 890. There remained 46 active cases in the county on Thursday, up 10 from Wednesday and representing 4.7% of all the cases identified locally. The active cases in the county Thursday included 27 confirmed cases and 19 probable cases.
A report on COVID cases in nursing homes produced by the ADH and dated Oct. 5 shows nine active cases, six in residents and three in workers, at Advanced Health and Rehab of Union County, along with 14 recoveries reported, three in residents and 11 in workers; and 10 active cases, eight in residents and two in workers, at Hudson Memorial Nursing Home, along with 70 recoveries reported, 38 in residents and 32 in workers.
The ADH reported 227 new negative test results returned from Union County on Thursday, indicating a one-day local positivity rate of 9.2% based on the number of new cases and results reported. In all, 11,102 test results have returned from Union County, including 10,119 negatives, indicating an overall local positivity rate of 8.9%.
The cumulative number of cases in Arkansas grew by 1,265 Thursday to reach 90,145. The cases in the state Thursday included 85,980 confirmed cases, up 1,066 from Wednesday, and 4,165 probable cases, up 199 from Wednesday.
The number of Arkansans considered recovered from the virus Thursday grew by 860 to reach 81,563 Thursday. There were 7,070 active cases in the state Thursday, up 384 from Wednesday and representing 7.8% of all the state’s cases. Active cases in Arkansas Thursday included 6,207 confirmed cases and 863 probable cases.
The deaths of 21 Arkansans that resulted from COVID-19 were reported on Thursday, bringing the state’s death toll to 1,503, indicating a state COVID mortality rate of 1.7%. There were 546 Arkansans hospitalized due to the virus on Thursday, including 237 in ICUs and 102 on ventilator support.
Since the state began testing for COVID-19, 1,137,064 test results have returned to the ADH, including 1,046,493 negatives, indicating an overall positivity rate for the state of 7.9%.
At 5 p.m. Thursday, Johns Hopkins University reported 7,591,519 COVID-19 cases in the United States. Of those, 2,999,895 people were considered recovered, leaving 4,379,139 cases — 57.7% — active nationwide. There had been 212,485 deaths attributable to the virus in the U.S. by Thursday afternoon, indicating a national COVID mortality rate of 2.8%.
Johns Hopkins reported 36,358,489 COVID-19 cases worldwide Thursday afternoon. Of those, 25,296,587 people were considered recovered, leaving 10,002,959 cases — 27.5% — active around the world. There had been 1,058,587 deaths attributable to the virus by Thursday afternoon, indicating a global COVID mortality rate of 2.9%.