The Arkansas Department of Health reported eight new COVID-19 cases in Union County Wednesday, bringing the cumulative total of cases identified locally to 1,130. The cases in the county Wednesday included 1,007 confirmed cases, up three from Tuesday, and 123 probable cases, up five 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.
No new local deaths attributable to COVID-19 were reported Wednesday. Forty-nine 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, 118 people were hospitalized due to the virus Wednesday, including 49 in intensive care units and 19 on ventilator support.
Four new recoveries were reported locally Wednesday, making 1,037 Union County residents considered recovered from the virus. Active cases in the county grew to 44, up four from Tuesday and representing 3.9% of all the cases identified locally. The active cases in the county Wednesday included 26 confirmed cases and 18 probable cases.
The ADH reported 93 new negative test results returned from Union County Wednesday, indicating a one-day local positivity rate of 7.9% based on the number of new cases and results reported. In all, 12,849 COVID-19 test results have returned from Union County, including 11,719 negatives, indicating an overall local positivity rate of 9%.
In Arkansas, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases grew to 108,640 Wednesday, up 961 from Tuesday. There were 100,751 confirmed cases in the state Wednesday, up 690 from Tuesday, and 7,889 probable cases, up 271 from Tuesday.
There were 97,450 Arkansans considered recovered Wednesday, up 1,128 from Tuesday. Active cases in the state dropped by 187 to reach 9,303, representing 8.6% of all the cases in the state. The active cases in Arkansas Wednesday included 7,584 confirmed cases and 1,719 probable cases.
The ADH reported the deaths of 18 Arkansans Wednesday, bringing the state’s death toll to 1,875, indicating a state COVID mortality rate of 1.7%. There were 644 Arkansans hospitalized due to the virus Wednesday, including 228 in ICUs and 94 on ventilator support.
Since the state began testing for COVID-19, 1,366,917 results have returned to the ADH, including 1,257,374 negatives, indicating an overall positivity rate for the state of 7.9%.
At 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Johns Hopkins University reported 8,817,851 COVID-19 cases in the United States. Of those, 3,487,666 people were considered recovered, leaving 5,103,008 cases — 57.9% — active nationwide. There had been 227,177 deaths attributable to the virus in the U.S. by Wednesday afternoon, indicating a national COVID mortality rate of 2.6%.
Johns Hopkins reported 44,282,961 COVID-19 cases worldwide Wednesday afternoon. Of those, 29,886,585 people were considered recovered, leaving 13,225,443 cases — 29.9% — active around the world. There had been 1,170,933 deaths attributable to the virus by Wednesday afternoon, indicating a global COVID mortality rate of 2.6%.