The Arkansas Department of Health reported two new COVID-19 cases in Union County Sunday, bringing the cumulative number of cases identified locally to 1,009. The cases in the county Sunday included 935 confirmed cases, up one from Saturday, and 74 probable cases, up one from Saturday.
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.
There were no new local deaths attributable to COVID-19 reported Sunday. 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, 100 people were hospitalized due to the virus on Sunday, including 47 in intensive care units and 17 on ventilator support.
Five new recoveries were reported in Union County Sunday, bringing the total number of local residents considered recovered to 911. Active cases in the county declined to 51 Sunday, down three from Saturday and representing 5.1% of all the cases identified locally. The active cases in Union County Sunday included 30 confirmed cases and 21 probable cases.
The Arkansas Center for Health Improvement released school district-level COVID data up-to-date through Oct. 5 this week. The ACHI lists all cases within a school districts’ catchment area, and districts with fewer than five cases are not listed to protect the privacy of those who have contracted the virus.
According to the ACHI, as of Oct. 5, 548 COVID-19 cases had been identified in the El Dorado School District’s catchment area, including 27 new cases; 78 cases had been identified in the Junction City School District’s catchment area, including eight new cases; 47 cases had been identified in the Parkers Chapel School District’s catchment area; 93 cases had been identified in the Smackover-Norphlet School District’s catchment area, including 12 new cases; and 76 cases had been identified in the Strong-Huttig School District’s catchment area, including seven new cases.
The ADH reported 45 new negative test results returned from Union County Sunday, indicating a one-day local positivity rate of 4.3% based on the number of new cases and results reported. In all, 11,242 COVID-19 test results have returned from Union County, including 10,233 negatives, indicating an overall local positivity rate of 9%.
In Arkansas, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases grew by 613 to reach 92,833 Sunday. The cases in the state Sunday were made up of 88,302 confirmed cases, up 554 from Saturday, and 4,531 probable cases, up 59 from Saturday.
There were 83,454 Arkansans considered recovered from the virus Sunday, up 530 from Saturday. Active cases in the state grew to 7,801, up 66 from Saturday and representing 8.4% of all the cases in the state. The active cases in Arkansas Sunday included 6,867 confirmed cases and 934 probable cases.
The ADH also reported the deaths of 17 Arkansans that were caused by COVID-19, bringing the state’s death toll to 1,569, indicating a state COVID mortality rate of 1.7%. There were 566 Arkansans hospitalized due to the virus Sunday, including 237 in ICUs and 97 on ventilator support.
Since the state began testing for COVID-19, 1,174,564 results have returned to the ADH, including 1,081,263 negatives, indicating an overall positivity rate for the state of 7.9%.
At 4:45 p.m. Sunday, Johns Hopkins University reported 7,756,846 COVID-19 cases in the United States. Of those, 3,062,983 people were considered recovered, leaving 4,479,121 cases — 57.7% — active nationwide. There had been 214,742 deaths attributable to the virus in the U.S. by Sunday afternoon, indicating a national COVID mortality rate of 2.8%.
Johns Hopkins reported 37,350,759 COVID-19 cases worldwide Sunday afternoon. Of those, 25,955,787 people were considered recovered, leaving 10,320,204 cases — 27.6% — active around the world. There had been 1,074,768 deaths attributable to the virus by Sunday afternoon, indicating a global COVID mortality rate of 2.9%.