Update in Arizona: 91,858 virus cases, with 1,788 deaths

Arizona reported 4,433 new COVID-19 cases and 31 additional deaths on Friday, according to data from the Arizona Department of Health Services.

The number of people in the hospitals and using ventilators again broke records Thursday.

Arizona is among the worst hot spots in the nation for COVID-19. The disease is widespread here, and health officials caution people to stay home as much as possible and wear masks in public.

Vice President Mike Pence, who visited Arizona on Wednesday, said he is deploying hundreds of medical personnel to assist the state.

Identified cases total 91,858 and known deaths total 1,788. It’s unknown how many of these cases are currently sick or asymptomatic. The state does not report the number of recovered cases, though it does report hospital discharges.

On Thursday morning, the Department of Health Services posted a public service announcement on Twitter featuring department director Dr. Cara Christ showing how to properly wear and care for a cloth face mask.

On Wednesday, 4,878 new cases and 88 additional deaths were reported by the Arizona Department of Health Services, a high mark for the pandemic so far.

Tuesday’s reported cases looked nearly as high, but that was attributed by the Arizona Department of Health Services to a reporting delay by the state’s largest tester, leading many cases that should have been included in Monday’s report to be added on Tuesday.

Hospitalizations in inpatient and ICU beds by COVID-19 patients rose on Thursday to their highest reported levels since the pandemic began in March. The number of COVID-19 patients seen in the emergency room skyrocketed to 1,847 on Thursday — a record. The number of ventilators in use by COVID-19 patients increased Thursday to 489, a new record as well.

Most people who get the disease are not hospitalized.

Thursday’s dashboard shows 85% of current inpatient beds and 91% of ICU beds were in use, which includes people being treated for COVID-19 and other patients.

Arizonans have reported delays in getting tested and waits of as long as three weeks to get results. The daily cases reported are not all from the previous day’s results — they could have been tests conducted weeks ago. The percentage of positives tests last week was 20%, according to state data.

Here’s what you need to know about Friday’s new numbers.

Reported cases in Arizona: 91,858

Cases increased by 4,433 to 91,858 identified cases since the outbreak began.

County cases: 57,929 in Maricopa, 9,024 in Pima, 6,824 in Yuma, 4,139 in Pinal, 3,817 in Navajo, 2,418 in Apache, 2,087 in Coconino, 1,887 in Santa Cruz, 1,342 in Mohave, 861 in Yavapai, 710 in Cochise, 351 in La Paz, 325 in Gila, 125 in Graham and 19 in Greenlee, according to state numbers.

The rate of cases per 100,000 people is highest in Navajo County, followed by Apache, Santa Cruz and Yuma.

The Navajo Nation reported 7,613 cases and 369 confirmed deaths as of Wednesday. The Navajo Nation includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

The Arizona Department of Corrections said 457 inmates had tested positive for COVID-19 as of Thursday; 3,819 inmates have been tested out of a population of more than 40,000. Four incarcerated people have been confirmed to have died of COVID-19.

Reported deaths: 1,788 known deaths

On Friday, 31 new deaths were reported. This comes after 37 new deaths were reported Thursday and 88 new deaths were reported Wednesday.

County deaths: 865 in Maricopa, 282 in Pima, 132 in Navajo, 97 in Yuma, 96 in Coconino, 91 in Apache, 88 in Mohave, 75 in Pinal, 24 in Santa Cruz, 14 in Cochise, 10 in Yavapai, six in Gila, five in La Paz and fewer than three in Graham and Greenlee.