The Arkansas Department of Health reported five new COVID-19 cases in Union County Saturday, bringing the cumulative number of cases identified locally to 1,007. The cases in the county Saturday included 934 confirmed cases, up three from Friday, and 73 probable cases, up two from Friday.
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 new local deaths attributable to COVID-19 were reported Saturday. Forty-seven Union County residents have died as a result of the virus. In the Southwest Public Health Region of the state, where Union County is located, there were 100 people hospitalized due to the virus Saturday, including 47 in intensive care units and 18 on ventilator support.
Five new recoveries were reported locally on Saturday, making 906 Union County residents who are considered recovered from the virus. The number of active cases in the county saw no change Saturday, staying steady at 54 and representing 5.4% of all the cases in the county. The active cases in the county Saturday included 31 confirmed cases and 23 probable cases.
The Arkansas Center for Health Improvement reported city-level COVID data this week updated through Oct. 5. The number of cases in communities with fewer than 10 cases is not enumerated to protect the privacy of those who have contracted the virus.
According to the ACHI, as of Oct. 5, 672 cases had been identified in El Dorado, representing 2% of the city’s population; 23 cases had been identified in Huttig, representing 2% of the population; 65 cases had been identified in Junction City, representing 3% of the population; 44 cases had been identified in Smackover, representing 2% of the population; and 53 cases had been identified in Strong, representing 3% of the population.
Calion, Lawson, Mount Holly and Norphlet were listed by the ACHI as having fewer than 10 cumulative cases in the communities.
The ADH reported 20 new negative test results returned from Union County Saturday, indicating a one-day local positivity rate of 20% based on the number of new cases and results reported. In all, 11,195 COVID-19 test results have returned from Union County, including 10,188 negatives, indicating an overall local positivity rate of 9%.
The cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in Arkansas grew by 908 to reach 92,220 Saturday. The cases in the state Saturday included 87,748 confirmed cases, up 788 from Friday, and 4,472 probable cases, up 120 from Friday.
There were 82,924 Arkansans considered recovered from the virus on Saturday, up 619 from Friday. The number of active cases in the state grew by 267 to reach 7,735 Saturday; they represented 8.4% of all the cases in the state. The active cases in Arkansas on Saturday included 6,793 confirmed cases and 942 probable cases.
The ADH reported the deaths of 22 Arkansans that were caused by COVID on Saturday, bringing the state’s death toll to 1,552, indicating a state COVID mortality rate of 1.7%. There were 554 Arkansans hospitalized due to the virus on Saturday, including 234 in ICUs and 97 on ventilator support.
Since the state began testing for COVID-19, 1,165,398 results have returned to the ADH, including 1,072,708 negatives, indicating an overall positivity rate for the state of 7.9%.
At 3 p.m. Saturday, Johns Hopkins University reported 7,696,917 COVID-19 cases in the United States. Of those, 3,039,089 people were considered recovered, leaving 4,443,708 cases — 57.7% — active nationwide. There had been 214,120 deaths attributable to the virus in the U.S. by Saturday afternoon, indicating a national COVID mortality rate of 2.8%.
Johns Hopkins reported 37,019,381 COVID-19 cases worldwide Saturday afternoon. Of those, 25,711,805 people were considered recovered, leaving 10,237,623 cases — 27.7% — active around the world. There had been 1,069,953 deaths attributable to the virus by Saturday afternoon, indicating a global COVID mortality rate of 2.9%.