OPINION: Putting context by the numbers on covid-19 cases

Keep washing your hands and practicing social distancing folks, and remember this latest opening of Arkansas is only a "trial."

History should remind us that the "first pass" of the no-so-called "Spanish Flu" of 1918 was not the death round -- that was the second time that global pandemic went around the world in October-January of 1918-1919.

Now after the release of the April 30 numbers for the covid-19 outbreak, I have decided to transform the numbers, which are fast becoming a mind-numbing statistic, easily dismissible, with previous days' "ups" or "downs" over yesterday's totals, with something tangible to compare to -- like Arkansas cities and towns.

Watching the TV news channels, and all their charts and flashy numbers or even reading the print media, there are too many numbers, numbers, and more numbers. And nothing but these time-worn phrases: "up 1%, or "down about 7 %" or possibly this "trending lower," and so on these numbers emerge with little feeling or meaning.

I am trying to put some context into these numbers.

As we all live in a "tornado" state, how about the same numbers given out by the frequent spring/summer twister totals.

The virus cases in Arkansas, as of April 30, totaled 3,281 -- about the size of the town Gravette. (As in if every man, woman and child in this small Arkansas town had the covid-19 disease).

There have been 61 deaths -- as if the entire communities of St. Paul or Williford, or Beaver in Arkansas were wiped off the map -- all those people gone.

Now is there a little more clarity to the numbers? This is written especially for those who will tell you: "I, personally, don't know anyone who has this virus."

In Arkansas, there are 1,305 people who have recovered, a population about the size of Clarendon.

Or another 1,888 who are still infected and suffering of this virus -- or about the same populations for the cities of Goshen or Decatur.

At Arkansas' state run prisons -- there are 921 inmates or staff infected -- that is comparable to the entire population of Tyronza, Madison or Cotter falling ill.

There are 23 Arkansans on ventilators all over the state -- that is like the entire population of Wiederkehr Village or Scott. Everyone one, in either city, being on a ventilator to aid their breathing.

Or there are 95 Arkansans hospitalized with the virus -- the same as the populations of Success or Coy. I would dare say the medical costs for these 95 far exceed these cities' entire budgets combined.

There have been 22 nursing home deaths in Arkansas, that would be akin to everyone in Scott being wiped out by a tornado -- all are gone.

Nationally -- there are 63,006 deaths due to the virus. Say goodbye to Rogers' population or North Little Rock's population.

Or there are about 1,069,000 cases in the U.S. -- about one-third of Arkansas' population -- let us just say the entire 3rd Congressional District -- from Harrison down to Fort Smith all are infected with the virus.

Wow.

And looking globally from the end of the month numbers to date:

About 3.2 million have been infected. That is about the size of the state of Utah and just a little more than the entire population of the state of Arkansas.

There have been 233,398 deaths world-wide, that we know of.

That's more than the metropolitan area of Little Rock, North Little Rock, Benton and Jacksonville.

And that's about the same number of deaths as the entire populations of Washington and Benton counties.

Don't let the raw numbers put you to sleep. It is about time we get some context on these numbers. These are real people -- just like the people in these cities and towns I have cited that are sick and dying.

Wash your hands, stay home, stay safe and do it all over again until this virus passes, and we get a vaccine or some treatment to everyone.

-- Maylon Rice is a former journalist who worked for several northwest Arkansas publications. He can be reached via email at [email protected]. The opinions expressed are those of the author.

Editorial on 05/06/2020