The Arkansas Department of Health reported eight new COVID-19 cases in Union County Tuesday, bringing the cumulative total of cases identified in the county to 849. The number of confirmed cases in the county increased by five, to 831, and local probable cases increased by three, to 18.
Confirmed cases are determined by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests, which, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control, are more sensitive than antigen tests, which determine probable cases.
The ADH reported 11 new negative test results returned from Union County Tuesday, indicating a one-day local positivity rate of 42.1% based on the number of new cases and results reported. In all, 8,761 COVID-19 test results have returned from Union County, including 7,912 negatives, indicating an overall local positivity rate of 9.7%.
The number of recoveries in Union County reportedly increased by four to reach 790 Tuesday. The number of active cases locally increased to 27 on Tuesday, up four from Monday; they represented 3.2% of all the cases that have been identified in the county. The active cases reported in the county Tuesday included 22 people with confirmed COVID-19 cases and five people with probable cases.
No new local deaths attributable to COVID-19 were reported Tuesday. Thirty-one Union County residents have died as a result of the virus.
In the Southwest Public Health Region, where Union County is located, 86 people were hospitalized due to the virus Tuesday, including 46 who were in intensive care units and 23 who were on ventilator support.
The cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in Arkansas grew by 617 to reach 76,981 Tuesday. The cases in Arkansas were made up of 74,772 confirmed cases, up 486 from Monday; and 2,209 probable cases, up 131 from Monday.
There were 69,184 Arkansans considered recovered on Tuesday, up 728 from Monday. Active cases in the state dropped to 6,583 Tuesday, made up of 6,188 confirmed cases and 395 probable cases. Active cases represented 8.5% of all the state’s cases Tuesday.
Twelve Arkansans’ deaths that were caused by COVID-19 were reported Tuesday, bringing the state’s death toll to 1,209, indicating a state COVID mortality rate of 1.6%. There were 453 Arkansans hospitalized due to the virus on Tuesday, including 234 in ICUs and 87 on ventilator support.
Governor Asa Hutchinson delivered his weekly COVID-19 update Tuesday, and spoke about the state’s strategy for dealing with COVID-19 during the winter months.
“It could be a very difficult time we’re going to come into here in the late fall and winter months, and I want everybody in Arkansas to be prepared for what’s ahead and continue our focus, because we’re going to be living with COVID for a long time,” Hutchinson said. “We can’t lose focus of our strategies.”
Hutchinson said the state’s winter strategy includes increasing public flu shot participation; performing one million PCR COVID-19 tests by October 20; increasing the consistency of ADH contact tracing; continuing to emphasize the use of face masks and social distancing; and not allowing state residents to grow weary. Flu shots are available at the Union County Health Unit with no out-of-pocket charges.
“We have to be consistent, because so much is at stake,” Hutchinson said. “We can see hope on the horizon with the possibility of a vaccine coming soon.”
Stephanie Williams, Hutchinson’s chief of staff, broke down the contact tracing process. She said from the time a sample is taken from someone tested for the virus, it will take, generally, three to four days to be tested and the results reported to the ADH; then, positive cases will be assigned to a nurse, who will contact the person with COVID-19 to learn of their close contacts. A contact tracer will then contact those close contacts. The investigation and contact tracing process typically takes about two days.
“We’ve dramatically decreased the amount of time it takes to act on this information,” Williams said.
Arkansas Department of Commerce Secretary Mike Preston also provided an update on the state’s new pandemic unemployment assistance. He said this is the second week the state will pay out benefits in the program, which provides for an extra $300 per week to those who qualify, which includes those who lost their jobs due to the pandemic.
Preston said the state paid out $47 million in benefits the first week of the program. Most of the funds are provided through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Regular benefits have also been increased for those who couldn’t qualify for the pandemic assistance through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, which beneficiaries must also qualify for in order to receive the expanded benefits.
Preston said the state’s unemployment level also has dropped; about 37,000 continued unemployment claims came in last week, he said, and 42,000 Arkansans filed for the pandemic unemployment assistance.
“This is the lowest that we’ve been since probable early May, late April,” Preston said.
Since the state began testing for COVID-19, 908,424 results have returned to the ADH, including 831,265 negatives, indicating a positivity rate for the state of 8.5%.
At 5 p.m. Tuesday, Johns Hopkins University reported 6,885,499 COVID-19 cases in the United States. Of those, 2,615,974 were considered recovered, leaving 4,068,967 cases — 59.1% — active nationwide. There had been 200,558 deaths attributable to the virus in the U.S. by Tuesday afternoon, indicating a national COVID mortality rate of 2.9%.
Johns Hopkins reported 31,439,197 COVID-19 cases worldwide Tuesday afternoon. Of those, 21,549,919 were considered recovered, leaving 8,922,081 cases — 28.4% — active around the world. There had been 967,197 deaths attributable to COVID-19 by Tuesday afternoon, indicating a global COVID mortality rate of 3.1%.