FAYETTEVILLE -- About 5,500 people in Benton and Washington counties were tested for covid-19 within the past week, according to the Arkansas Department of Health.
A total of 27,568 tests have been done in Washington County as of 5 p.m. Friday, according to the department. A total of 54,505 tests have been taken in Benton County.
About 2,000 were tested in Washington County this past week while tests were done on about 3,500 people in Benton County.
Washington County had 5,855 cases, including 466 active cases, according to the department. Benton County had 4,408 cases, including 398 active cases. Active cases are those who aren't recovered.
At least 128 Washington and Benton county residents have died of the virus as of Friday, according to information from the county coroners.
Washington County Coroner Roger Morris expressed concern the county is seeing people in the Laotian community die of the virus. Two Laotian women, both in their 70s, are included in the coroner's log of covid-19 deaths. However, the covid-19 test results are still pending for one of the women, according to the log.
Northwest Arkansas' Marshallese residents have been dying of the virus at a disproportionate rate. Of those who have died, 43, or about 33%, were Marshallese and/or Pacific Islander, despite making up about 3% of the two counties' population.
Hospitals in Benton and Washington counties had 53 patients in covid-19 units as of Thursday, according to a statement from the region's largest health care organizations by Martine Pollard, a spokeswoman at Mercy Health System.
Twenty-three patients were on ventilators. The number includes patients with and without covid-19, according to the statement.
Most testing sites in Northwest Arkansas are prioritizing people who have covid-19 symptoms amid concerns about the availability of testing material, according to a joint statement released July 3 from Arkansas Children's Northwest, Community Clinic, Mercy Northwest Arkansas, Northwest Health, UAMS Northwest, Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks and Washington Regional Medical Center.
Anyone can get tested at the Benton or Washington county health units.
Mercy Health System collected specimens to be tested from 10,274 people from March 20 through Thursday, according to Jennifer Cook, spokeswoman. People who suspect they have covid-19 must call Mercy, be screened and make an appointment before going to its evaluation site in Bentonville.
Community Clinic, which has three coronavirus screening sites in Northwest Arkansas, has collected 15,384 specimens from people from March 30 through Thursday, according to Abbie Luzius, community development manager for Community Clinic. Patients are encouraged, but not required, to call before coming to a clinic.
The state Health Department began testing May 18 at county health units, including Fayetteville and Rogers. The Washington County unit tested 11,327 people, and the Benton County unit tested 3,926 people as of Thursday, according to Danyelle McNeill, department spokeswoman.
Washington Regional Health System has collected 12,863 specimens, including 528 in the past week, to be tested from people from March 16 through Thursday at its screening clinics, according to Natalie Hardin, spokeswoman. Patients are encouraged, but not required, to call before going to the clinics.
Specimens to be tested for covid-19 are collected via nasal and mouth swabs.
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Screening sites
Covid-19 testing and/or screening is available at the following:
• Washington County Health Unit: 3270 Wimberly Drive in Fayetteville. Patients should call (479) 521-8181 to make an appointment.
• Benton County Health Unit: 1200 W. Walnut St. Suite 2200 in Rogers. Patients should call (479) 986-1300 to make an appointment.
• Walmart/Quest testing site: 7-9 a.m. Thursdays and Fridays at Walmart Neighborhood Market, 1400 N. Walton Blvd. in Bentonville. Patients must schedule an appointment through Quest Diagnostic’s online portal, MyQuestCOVIDTest.com or MyQuest app.
• UAMS digital screening: www.uamshealth.com/….
• UAMS hotline: (800) 632-4502.
• Washington Regional hotline: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, (479) 463-2055.
• Washington Regional Coronavirus Screening Center: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Sunday at Washington Regional Urgent Care, 3 E. Appleby Road in Fayetteville.
• Washington Regional Coronavirus Screening Center: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 3318 N. North Hills Blvd. in Fayetteville.
• Washington Regional Urgent Care: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and 1-6 p.m. Sunday at 1301 S. Walton Blvd. in Bentonville.
• Washington Regional Urgent Care: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday., 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and 1-6 p.m. Sunday at 808 U.S. Highway 65 in Harrison.
• Washington Regional Urgent Care: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and 1-6 p.m. Sunday at 2301 W. Pleasant Grove Road Suite 101 in Rogers.
• Washington Regional Urgent Care: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and 1-6 p.m. Sunday at 3300 W. Sunset Ave. in Springdale.
• Washington Regional Family Clinic drive-through screening clinic: 8 a.m.-noon Monday through Friday, 146 Passion Play Road, Suite A in Eureka Springs.
• Arkansas Children’s Hospital hotline for child health: (800) 743-3616.
• Community Clinic Siloam Springs Medical: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 500 S. Mount Olive St., No. 200 in Siloam Springs.
• Community Clinic Rogers Medical: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 1233 W. Poplar St. in Rogers.
• Community Clinic Springdale Medical and Pediatrics: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 614 E. Emma Ave., Suite 300 in Springdale..
• Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas Family Medicine South: 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday, 2523 E. Huntsville Road in Fayetteville.
• Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas Family Medicine: 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 1109 S. West End St. in Springdale. Patients must call (479) 750-3630 to make an appointment.
• Family Medicine Har-Ber: 8 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 171 N. Maestri Road in Springdale. Patients must call (479) 361-1020 to make an appointment.
• Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas Family Medicine Pinnacle Hills: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 3730 Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Suite 2 in Rogers. Patients must make an appointment by calling (479) 464-5599.
• Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas Urgent Care Wedington: 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Sunday, 1188 N. Salem Road, Suite 6 in Fayetteville.
• Northwest Arkansas Pediatrics: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 3380 N. Futrall Drive in Fayetteville. Patients should call (479) 442-7322 to schedule a telemedicine screening appointment.
• Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas online screening: mana.md/covid-19-screening/.
• Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas fever hotline: (479) 435-2500.
• MedExpress Urgent Care: 8 a.m.-8 p.m., 1160 S. 40th St. in Springdale. Patients must call (479) 750-2971 to make an appointment.
• Northwest Medical Center: 601 S.W. Regional Airport Blvd. in Bentonville. Patients may call (479) 306-7507.
• Northwest Medical Center: 2158 Butterfield Coach Road, Suite 100 in Springdale. Patients may call (479) 306-7507.
• Mercy Coronavirus Evaluation Site: Mercy Convenient Care, 3101 S.E. 14th St. in Bentonville. Patients must call (479) 717-7585 beforehand to make an appointment to be screened.
• Veterans enrolled in Veterans Affairs health care may call (800) 691-8387.
Alex Golden can be reached by email at agolden@nwadg.com or on Twitter @NWAalexgolden.