The Arkansas Department of Health reported 811 total COVID-19 cases in Union County Tuesday, including nine new confirmed cases, determined by positive PCR COVID tests, and one new probable case, determined by a positive antigen COVID test.
In all, 10 new cases were reported in the county Tuesday. Seven probable cases and 804 confirmed cases of the virus have been identified locally.
The death of one Union County resident that resulted from COVID-19 was also reported Tuesday. In all, 26 Union County residents have died as a result of the virus, indicating a local COVID mortality rate — the percentage of those who contract the virus and die as a result of it — of 3.2%. All of the local residents who have died as a result of the virus had confirmed cases.
There were 733 reported recoveries in the county Tuesday. Of those, 729 were Union County residents who had confirmed cases of the virus, up 13 from Monday; and four were residents with probable cases of the virus, up three from Monday.
There were 51 active cases in Union County Tuesday, representing 6.3% of the cumulative case total in the county. Three active cases were probable cases, representing 42.9% of all the probable cases in the county; and 48 were confirmed cases, representing 6% of all the confirmed cases in the county.
No new negative antigen test results were reported to have returned from Union County Tuesday, indicating a one-day positivity rate of 100% among those antigen tested for the virus based on the new case reported. In all, 41 antigen test results have returned from Union County, including 11 positives, indicating an overall positivity rate among those antigen tested for the virus of 26.8%.
The ADH reported 86 new negative PCR test results returned from Union County Tuesday, indicating a one-day local positivity rate among those PCR tested for the virus of 9.5% based on the number of new cases and PCR results reported. In all, 8,503 PCR test results have returned from Union County, including 7,699 negatives, indicating an overall local positivity rate among those PCR tested for the virus of 9.5%.
Altogether, 8,544 COVID-19 test results, both PCR and antigen, have returned from Union County to the ADH, including 7,729 negatives, indicating an overall local positivity rate among everyone tested for the virus of 9.5%.
According to a report on COVID cases in educational institutions in the state produced by the ADH, seven active cases have been identified within the Smackover-Norphlet School District. Nine cases have been identified there altogether. The report did not include a breakdown of how many cases were in students and/or faculty.
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Union County grew by 676 to reach 70,125 Tuesday. There were also 54 new probable cases reported across the state Tuesday, bringing the total number of probable cases identified in Arkansas to 1,232. In all, 71,357 COVID-19 cases have been identified in the state.
Of the cumulative case total for the state, 64,342 were considered recovered Tuesday. There were 6,001 total active cases Tuesday, representing 8.4% of all the cases identified in the state. Most of the active cases in the state were confirmed cases; there were 5,703 active confirmed cases, representing 8.1% of all the confirmed cases in the state. The number of active probable cases on Tuesday was 298, representing 24.2% of the probable cases in the state.
The COVID-related deaths of 18 Arkansans were reported Tuesday, bringing the state’s death toll to 1,010, indicating a state COVID mortality rate of 1.4%. There were 381 Arkansans hospitalized due to the virus Tuesday, including 181 in intensive care units and 66 on ventilator support. In the southwest region of the state, where Union County is located, 75 people were hospitalized due to the virus, with 35 in intensive care units and 13 on ventilator support.
Governor Asa Hutchinson provided the first weekly COVID update of the year Tuesday after ceasing daily updates last week. He said the state is working to find patterns in the number of cases reported each day.
Hutchinson announced that the state received 12,000 antigen testing kits. The state had already purchased 200 antigen test machines, which process the tests.
“This is great news to greatly expand our testing in Arkansas,” he said.
The tests will be distributed to small rural hospitals, local health units and schools, Hutchinson said. Union County residents will have access to antigen testing at the Union County Health Unit, at 301 American Road.
He also said 139 probable deaths, including those who have COVID-19 included on their death certificate and those who had probable cases of the virus and died, have also been reported to the state.
The ADH reported 879,417 total COVID-19 tests returned statewide Tuesday, including 807,698 negatives, indicating an overall positivity rate for the state of 8.1%.
At 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, Johns Hopkins University reported 6,590,827 COVID-19 cases in the United States. Of those, 2,477,942 were considered recovered, leaving 3,917,499 cases — 59.4% — active. There had been 195,386 deaths attributable to the virus in the U.S. by Tuesday afternoon, indicating a national COVID mortality rate of 3%.
Johns Hopkins reported 29,391,667 COVID-19 cases worldwide Tuesday. Of those, 19,943,599 were considered recovered, leaving 8,517,368 cases — 29% — active around the world. There had been 930,700 deaths attributable to the virus by Tuesday afternoon, indicating a global COVID mortality rate of 3.2%.