The Arkansas Department of Health reported four new COVID-19 cases in Union County Wednesday, bringing the cumulative number of cases identified locally to 1,028. The cases in the county Wednesday included 949 confirmed cases, up one from Tuesday, and 79 probable cases, up three from Tuesday.
According to the United States Centers for Disease Control, the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests that determine confirmed cases are more sensitive than the antigen tests that determine probable cases.
Eleven new recoveries were reported Wednesday, bringing the total number of Union County residents considered recovered to 944. Active cases dropped to 37, down seven from Tuesday and representing 3.6% of all the cases identified locally. The active cases in the county Wednesday included 21 confirmed cases and 16 probable cases.
No new local deaths attributable to COVID-19 were reported Wednesday. 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, 99 people were hospitalized due to the virus Wednesday, including 47 in intensive care units and 26 on ventilator support.
The ADH reported 170 new negative test results returned from Union County Wednesday, indicating a one-day local positivity rate of 2.3% based on the number of new cases and results reported. In all, 11,509 COVID-19 test results have returned from Union County, including 10,481 negatives, indicating an overall local positivity rate of 8.9%.
In Arkansas, the cumulative case total grew by 1,079 to reach 95,246 Wednesday. The cases in the state Wednesday included 90,235 confirmed cases, up 884 from Tuesday, and 5,011 probable cases, up 195 from Tuesday.
The number of Arkansans considered recovered from the virus grew to 85,597, up 793 from Tuesday. Active cases in the state increased by 263 to 8,007 Wednesday, representing 8.4% of all the cases in the state. The active cases in Arkansas Wednesday included 6,924 confirmed cases and 1,083 probable cases.
The ADH reported the deaths of 23 Arkansans that resulted from COVID-19 Wednesday, bringing the state’s death toll to 1,634, indicating a state COVID mortality rate of 1.7%. There were 582 Arkansans hospitalized due to the virus Wednesday, including 241 in ICUs and 112 on ventilator support.
Since the state began testing for COVID-19, 1,204,636 results have returned to the ADH, including 1,108,864 negatives, indicating an overall positivity rate for the state of 7.9%.
At 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Johns Hopkins University reported 7,883,392 COVID-19 cases in the United States. Of those, 3,124,593 people were considered recovered, leaving 4,542,476 cases — 57.6% — active nationwide. There had been 216,323 deaths attributable to the virus in the U.S. by Wednesday afternoon, indicating a national COVID mortality rate of 2.7%.
Johns Hopkins reported 38,326,891 COVID-19 cases worldwide Wednesday afternoon. Of those, 26,535,808 people were considered recovered, leaving 10,702,279 cases — 27.9% — active around the world. There had been 1,088,804 deaths attributable to the virus by Wednesday afternoon, indicating a global COVID mortality rate of 2.8%.