JONESBORO — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified a growing number of counties in Arkansas at high community spread. But the weekly COVID Tracker also shows some improvement for some areas of Northeast Arkansas.
Craighead, Clay, Greene, Jackson, Lawrence, Poinsett and Randolph counties remain classified as high community spread, based on the number of new cases and hospitalizations. But statistical data from July 21 through Wednesday indicates actual numbers of new cases are declining in most of those counties.
Greene County is the exception, with a 32.86 percent increase. The CDC calculates the rate of new cases per 100,000 population. Greene County’s rate was 410.38, the highest in the region.
Craighead County’s rate of 394.36 per 100,000 is a reduction of 0.9 percent from the previous week.
Jackson County had the sharpest decline in new cases – 53.3 percent – with a rate of 167.47. The county remains classified as high community spread, however.
The CDC recommends wearing a mask indoors in areas of high community spread.
Cross County remains classified as medium community spread, but the new data show a 10 percent increase in new cases. Mississippi County, also rated as medium spread, had a 26.5 percent reduction in new cases in the previous seven days, according to the CDC.
Friday’s report from the Arkansas Department of Health disclosed 1,178 news cases, including 63 in Craighead County, the third highest number among the state’s 75 counties. Pulaski County (Little Rock) had 146, followed by Washington County (Fayetteville-Springdale) with 103.
Active cases declined statewide by 220 to 15,792.
The state reported eight deaths, including one in Cross County.
COVID-related hospitalizations dropped by 18 to 417. They were unchanged at 55 in Northeast Arkansas.
Friday’s Northeast Arkansas COVID-19 cases by county:
Craighead – 63 new cases, 825 active cases.
Greene – 22 new cases, 291 active cases.
Lawrence – 9 new cases, 97 active cases.
Poinsett – 16 new cases, 142 active cases.
Mississippi –13 new cases, 210 active cases.
Jackson – 7 new cases, 81 active cases.
Randolph – 5 new cases, 103 active cases.
Cross – 1 new case, 84 active cases.
Clay – 7 new cases, 66 active cases.
