As of Thursday, Oct. 29, the Arkansas Department of Health has reported 1,894 deaths among confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases. New confirmed and probable cases increased by 1,072 to 109,712, with 666 currently hospitalized and 100 currently on a ventilator.
According to the Arkansas Department of Health’s Educational Institutions Report released Thursday, there are 1,078 active cases among staff members, students, and teachers in the state’s public school districts. Total positive cases increased by 541 since the Monday report to 8,509, of which 6,053 are student cases.
The Arkansas Nonprofit News Network reported that in the last two months, between 2.4% and 2.9% of public school staff members and teachers tested positive. Between the start of school on Aug. 24 and Oct. 21, at least 60 public school staff members and teachers were hospitalized, 14 were admitted into intensive care units, seven were placed on ventilators, and six died.
At colleges and universities, there are 404 active cases. The three institutions with the highest numbers of active cases are:
- University of Arkansas in Fayetteville with 53 cases
- Harding University in Searcy with 39 cases
- University of Central Arkansas at Conway with 28 cases
Total positive cases increased by 184 since the Monday report to 6,079 cases. Of these, 4,861 are student cases.
Some of the known football cancellations due to COVID-19 this week include:
- Nettleton and Valley View
- Camden Fairview and Hot Springs
- Little Rock Christian and Jacksonville
- Pottsville and Dover
- Genoa Central and Centerpoint
On our COVID-19 in Arkansas page this week, all the data in the COVID-19: Local Data dashboard have been updated through Monday, Oct. 26. Some key data points:
By School District
There are 40 school districts in the red zone this week as of Oct. 26. Twelve school districts are new to the red zone this week, while 28 districts remain in the red zone from the prior week. School districts in the red zone have 50 or more new known infections per 10,000 residents in the community during a 14-day period. Among the school districts in the red zone, two have 100 or more new infections per 10,000 residents, or at least 1% of district residents: Mammoth Spring and Marked Tree.
The districts in the red zone are:
- Mammoth Spring: 136 new known infections per 10K residents
- Marked Tree: 126 new known infections per 10K residents
- Waldron: 97 new known infections per 10K residents
- Marmaduke: 92 new known infections per 10K residents
- Manila: 84 new known infections per 10K residents
- Hoxie: 83 new known infections per 10K residents
- Harrisburg: 82 new known infections per 10K residents
- Riverside: 80 new known infections per 10K residents
- Brookland: 80 new known infections per 10K residents
- Paragould: 77 new known infections per 10K residents
- Marion: 74 new known infections per 10K residents
- Ozark: 73 new known infections per 10K residents
- Lawrence County: 73 new known infections per 10K residents
- Buffalo Island Central: 73 new known infections per 10K residents
- Augusta: 73 new known infections per 10K residents
- Corning: 72 new known infections per 10K residents
- Nettleton: 71 new known infections per 10K residents
- Valley View: 70 new known infections per 10K residents
- Trumann: 69 new known infections per 10K residents
- Piggott: 68 new known infections per 10K residents
- Blytheville: 67 new known infections per 10K residents
- Bay: 67 new known infections per 10K residents
- McCrory: 63 new known infections per 10K residents
- Armorel: 63 new known infections per 10K residents
- Texarkana: 62 new known infections per 10K residents
- Pocahontas: 61 new known infections per 10K residents
- Greene County Tech: 60 new known infections per 10K residents
- Hillcrest: 58 new known infections per 10K residents
- Jonesboro: 57 new known infections per 10K residents
- Sloan-Hendrix: 56 new known infections per 10K residents
- Gosnell: 56 new known infections per 10K residents
- Cross County: 55 new known infections per 10K residents
- Green Forest: 53 new known infections per 10K residents
- Jackson County: 52 new known infections per 10K residents
- Helena/West Helena: 52 new known infections per 10K residents
- East Poinsett County: 52 new known infections per 10K residents
- Highland: 51 new known infections per 10K residents
- Osceola: 50 new known infections per 10K residents
- Nevada: 50 new known infections per 10K residents
- Barton-Lexa: 50 new known infections per 10K residents
Tonight, Oct. 30, 25 high schools in red-zone school districts have scheduled football games. Twelve of these schools are playing each other.
By Community
The communities with the highest new known infection rates per 10,000 residents:
- New Blaine: 174 new known infections per 10K residents
- Marked Tree: 168 new known infections per 10K residents
- Walnut Ridge: 161 new known infections per 10K residents
- Mammoth Spring: 141 new known infections per 10K residents
- Lafe: 133 new known infections per 10K residents
- Waldron: 111 new known infections per 10K residents
- Hoxie: 99 new known infections per 10K residents
- Marmaduke: 92 new known infections per 10K residents
- Imboden: 92 new known infections per 10K residents
- Manila: 89 new known infections per 10K residents
- Lake City: 89 new known infections per 10K residents
- Harrisburg: 88 new known infections per 10K residents
By ZIP Code
The ZIP codes with the highest rates of new known infections:
- 72851: 175 new known infections per 10K residents
- 72365: 168 new known infections per 10K residents
- 72476: 162 new known infections per 10K residents
- 72554: 141 new known infections per 10K residents
- 72436: 134 new known infections per 10K residents
