Arizona COVID update: 12,674 cases, 624 deaths

Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now approach 12,700, with 624 known deaths, according to numbers released on Thursday by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Arizona’s total identified cases rose to 12,674 on Thursday, according to the most recent state figures. That’s an increase of 498 confirmed cases, or 4.1%, since Wednesday when the state reported 12,176 identified cases and 594 deaths.

The number of confirmed cases reported each day has risen steadily over the past week as more testing has taken place.

Deaths have also spiked over the past week, although many occurred in previous weeks and are just being added to the system now because of reporting lags and a new death certificate surveillance process. The number of deaths reported each day represents the additional known deaths identified by the Health Department that day, but they are often not identified on the actual death date and could have occurred weeks prior.

According to the department’s data, the date with the most deaths in a single day so far is April 19, with 23 deaths.

Maricopa County’s confirmed cases exceed 6,500, according to state numbers.

The number of Arizona cases likely is higher than official numbers because of limits on supplies and available tests. The state announced April 23 that anyone who believes they could be infected can now get tested.

The latest Arizona data

As of Thursday morning, the state reported death totals from these counties: 292 in Maricopa, 152 in Pima, 59 in Coconino, 43 in Navajo, 28 in Pinal, 26 in Mohave, 12 in Apache, four in Yavapai and four in Yuma.

La Paz County officials reported two deaths and Gila officials reported one death as of Wednesday, although the state site listed the two counties and Cochise County as just having fewer than three deaths. Greenlee, Graham and Santa Cruz counties each reported no deaths.

Cases rise in other counties

According to Thursday’s state update, Pima County reported 1,696 identified cases. Navajo County reported 1,150 cases, while Apache County reported 859, Coconino County reported 795, Pinal County reported 650, Yuma County reported 285, Yavapai County reported 243 and Mohave County reported 220.

Santa Cruz County reported 62 cases, Cochise County reported 44, La Paz County reported 27, Graham County reported 21, Gila County reported 21 and Greenlee County reported two, according to state numbers.

Graham and Greenlee counties saw no increase in case numbers from Wednesday.

The Navajo Nation had 3,392 identified cases and 119 confirmed deaths as of Wednesday evening. Of the 3,392 cases, 1,921 are in counties in Arizona. The Navajo Nation includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

121 cases in Arizona prisons

The Arizona Department of Corrections’ online dashboard said 121 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 as of Wednesday. The cases are at these six facilities: 63 in Florence, 34 in Yuma, nine in Marana, nine in Tucson, five in Eyman and one in Perryville.

The department had tested 519 inmates, with 356 negative cases and 42 pending out of a total population of 41,299.

Five inmate deaths are under investigation, with one death at Florence determined to be directly or indirectly the result of COVID-19. Four other deaths, three at Florence and one at Tucson, are preliminarily attributed to COVID-19.