JONESBORO — Poinsett County had the highest rate of new coronavirus infections in Arkansas in the past seven days, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC’s COVID-19 Tracker shows seven counties with medium community levels, including Poinsett and Jackson in Northeast Arkansas. Others were Arkansas, Cleburne, Monroe, White and Woodruff.
The CDC’s weekly COVID-19 Data Tracker compares standardized data across the U.S. In addition to new infections, it factors in hospitalizations and staffing levels at hospitals serving those counties.
Between Oct. 13 and Wednesday, Poinsett County had 50 new cases for a rate of 212.8 per 100,000 population. The hospitalization rate was 4.7 per 100,000.
Craighead County, with 110 new cases, had an infection rate of 99.7 and hospitalization rate of 4.7.
Greene County’s 43 cases translated to a 94.87 infection rate per 100,000 population.
On Friday, the Arkansas Department of Health reported 323 new cases, including 14 in Craighead County and 10 in Lawrence County. Pulaski County had 43, followed by Washington with 31 and Garland with 24.
The state reported eight deaths, including one in Jackson County.
Active cases increased by 28 to 2,957.
Hospitals reported 149 patients who had tested positive for the disease statewide, a reduction of six from Thursday. Hospital admissions in Northeast Arkansas stood at 20, an increase of three.
Friday Northeast Arkansas COVID-19 cases by county:
Craighead –14 new cases, 192 active cases.
Greene – 2 new cases, 62 active cases.
Lawrence – 10 new cases, 11 active cases.
Poinsett – 7 new cases, 31 active cases.
Mississippi – 5 new cases, 79 active cases.
Jackson – 1 new case, 12 active cases.
Randolph – 71 new cases, 18 active cases.
Cross – 0 new cases, 15 active cases.
Clay – 1 new case, 14 active cases.
