The Arkansas Department of Health reported 11 new COVID-19 cases in Union County Thursday, bringing the cumulative number of cases identified locally to 1,100. The cases in the county Thursday included 990 confirmed cases, up eight from Wednesday, and 110 probable cases, up three from Wednesday.
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.
Two local residents’ deaths that resulted from COVID-19 were reported Wednesday. Forty-nine Union County residents have now died as a result of the virus, indicating a local COVID mortality rate — the percentage of people who contract COVID-19 and die as a result of it — of 4.5%.
Three new recoveries were reported Wednesday, making 1,004 Union County residents considered recovered from the virus. Active cases rose by six Wednesday to reach 47, representing 4.3% of all the cases that have been identified locally. The active cases in the county Wednesday included 25 confirmed cases and 22 probable cases.
In the Southwest Public Health Region of the state, where Union County is located, 108 people were hospitalized due to the virus Wednesday, including 40 in intensive care units and 20 on ventilator support.
An ADH reported produced Oct. 22 on COVID cases in educational institutions lists five active COVID-19 cases in the El Dorado School District. According to the report, 37 cases have been identified in the district in total, including 13 in staff and faculty members and 24 in students.
The ADH reported 186 new negative test results returned from Union County Thursday, indicating a one-day local positivity rate of 5.6% based on the number of new cases and results reported. In all, 12,424 COVID-19 test results have returned from Union County, including 11,324 negatives, indicating an overall local positivity rate of 8.9%.
In Arkansas, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases increased by 1,202 to reach 102,798 Thursday. The cases in the state on Thursday included 96,292 confirmed cases, up 893 from Wednesday, and 6,506 probable cases, up 309 from Wednesday.
There were 92,288 Arkansans considered recovered from the virus Thursday, up 971 from Wednesday. Active cases in the state increased to 8,730, up 210 from Wednesday and representing 8.5% of all the cases in the state. Active cases in Arkansas Thursday included 7,357 confirmed cases and 1,373 probable cases.
The ADH reported the deaths of 21 Arkansans that resulted from the virus Thursday, bringing the state’s death toll to 1,772, indicating a state COVID mortality rate of 1.7%. There were 603 Arkansans hospitalized due to the virus on Thursday, including 236 in ICUs and 91 on ventilator support.
Since the state began testing for COVID-19, 1,298,158 test results have returned to the ADH, including 1,194,635 negatives indicating an overall positivity rate of 7.9%.
At 5 p.m. Thursday, Johns Hopkins University reported 8,395,100 COVID-19 cases in the United States. Of those, 3,323,354 people were considered recovered, leaving 4,848,821 cases — 57.8% — active nationwide. There had been 222,925 deaths attributable to the virus in the U.S. by Thursday afternoon, indicating a national COVID mortality rate of 2.7%.
Johns Hopkins reported 41,538,416 COVID-19 cases worldwide Thursday afternoon. Of those, 28,201,653 people were considered recovered, leaving 12,201,745 cases — 29.4% — active around the world. There had been 1,135,018 deaths attributable to the virus by Thursday afternoon, indicating a global COVID mortality rate of 2.7%.