The Arkansas Department of Health reported 10 new COVID-19 cases in Union County Wednesday, bringing the cumulative total of cases identified locally to 911. The cases in the county Wednesday included 879 confirmed cases, up five from Tuesday, and 32 probable cases, up five from Tuesday.
The United States Centers for Disease Control advises that positive PCR (polymerase chain reaction) COVID-19 tests should be considered confirmed cases and positive antigen tests, which the agency says are less sensitive, should be considered probable cases.
The ADH also reported Wednesday that two Union County residents had died as a result of the virus. Forty local residents have now died as a result of COVID-19, indicating a local COVID mortality rate — the percentage of people in the county who have contracted the virus and died as a result — of 4.4%.
Three new recoveries were reported in Union County Wednesday, making for 833 Union County residents considered recovered from the virus. Active cases in the county grew by six to reach 38 Wednesday, representing 4.2% of all the cases identified in Union County. The active cases in Union County Wednesday included 26 confirmed cases and 12 probable cases.
In the Southwest Public Health Region, where Union County is located, there were 92 people hospitalized due to the virus on Wednesday, including 41 in intensive care units and 23 on ventilator support.
A nursing home report produced by the ADH on Sept. 29 showed five active cases, three in residents and two in workers, at Advanced Health and Rehab of Union County; 65 active cases, 47 in residents and 18 in workers, at Hudson Memorial Nursing Home; one active worker case at Oak Ridge Health and Rehab; and four active resident cases at Timberlane Health and Rehab.
The ADH reported 54 new negative test results returned from Union County Wednesday, indicating a one-day local positivity rate of 15.6% based on the number of new cases and results reported. In all, 10,098 COVID-19 test results have returned from Union County, including 9,187 negatives, indicating an overall local positivity rate of 9%.
The cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in Arkansas grew by 942 to reach 83,697 Wednesday. The cases in the state included 80,610 confirmed cases, up 609 from Tuesday, and 3,087 probable cases, up 335 from Tuesday.
There were 75,312 Arkansans considered recovered from the virus Wednesday, up 872 from Tuesday. Active cases in the state increased by 49 to reach 7,009, representing 8.4% of the cases identified in the state. Active cases Wednesday included 6,373 confirmed cases and 636 probable cases.
The ADH reported the deaths of 19 Arkansans that resulted from COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing the state’s death toll to 1,369, indicating a state COVID mortality rate of 1.6%. There were 484 Arkansans hospitalized due to the virus Wednesday, including 218 in ICUs and 93 on ventilator support.
There had been 1,041,417 COVID-19 test results returned to the ADH by Wednesday afternoon, including 957,424 negatives, indicating that the state’s positivity rate was 8%.
At 6:30 p.m., Johns Hopkins University reported 7,225,895 COVID-19 cases in the United States. Of those, 2,813,305 people were considered recovered, leaving 4,205,765 cases — 58% — active nationwide. There had been 206,825 deaths attributable to the virus in the U.S. by Wednesday afternoon, indicating a national COVID mortality rate of 2.9%.
Johns Hopkins reported 33,808,562 COVID-19 cases worldwide Wednesday afternoon. Of those, 23,459,906 were considered recovered, leaving 20,338,014 cases — 60.2% — active around the world. There had been 1,010,642 deaths attributable to the virus by Wednesday afternoon, indicating a global COVID mortality rate of 3%.