Ariz. reports 515 new COVID-19 cases and 28 known deaths

Arizona’s total of COVID-19 cases increased by 515 on Friday, 28 new known deaths were reported, and hospital numbers remained stable.

Identified cases rose to 216,367 and known deaths are at 5,587, according to the daily report from the Arizona Department of Health Services.

The number of patients hospitalized statewide for known or suspected COVID-19 declined to 521 Thursday from 565 on Wednesday. During the peak of Arizona’s surge in July, the number of hospitalized patients suspected or confirmed to have the virus exceeded 3,000 statewide.

The number of patients with suspected or known COVID-19 in intensive care units across Arizona dropped Thursday, too, to 119 from 122 the previous day.

The COVID-19 death rate in Arizona was 77 per 100,000 people as of Thursday, the Centers for Disease and Prevention reported, putting it 10th in the country in a state ranking that separates New York City and New York state.

The U.S. average is 61 deaths per 100,000 people, the CDC says.

Behind New York City, at 283 deaths per 100,000 people, the CDC identifies the higher death rates ahead of Arizona (in order) as New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Louisiana, Rhode Island, Mississippi, the District of Columbia and New York state.

As of Thursday, the CDC ranked Arizona ninth in the country for its COVID-19 death rate over the previous seven days. Arizona’s seven-day rate as of Thursday was 154 deaths per 100,000 people.

Florida had the highest rate at 679 deaths per 100,000 people.

The other states behind Florida and ahead of Arizona, in order, were Texas, California, Georgia, Missouri, Virginia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.

Friday’s dashboard shows 79% of inpatient beds and 78% of ICU beds in use on Thursday, which includes people being treated for COVID-19 and other patients. COVID-19 patients were using 7% of all inpatient beds and 7% of ICU beds.

Overall, 24% of ventilators were in use.

What you need to know about Friday’s numbers:

● Reported cases in Arizona: 216,367.

● Cases increased by 515 on Friday, or 0.24%, from Thursday’s 215,852 identified cases since the outbreak began.

● Cases by county:140,753 in Maricopa, in 25,265 Pima, in 12,664 Yuma, 10,504 in Pinal, 5,781 in Navajo, 3,957 in Mohave, 3,985 in Coconino, 3,507 in Apache, 2,834 in Santa Cruz, 2,518 in Yavapai, 1,893 in Cochise, 1,287 in Gila, 815 in Graham, 545 in La Paz and 59 in Greenlee, according to state numbers.

● The Navajo Nation reported 10,212 cases and 551 confirmed deaths as of Thursday. The Navajo Nation includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

Arizona State University in Tempe said Thursday night that its COVID-19 case count has risen to 1,753 students and 31 faculty and staff.

The University of Arizona in Tucson reported Thursday a total of 2,245 identified COVID-19 cases since Aug. 4.

● Fifteen incarcerated people in Arizona have been confirmed to have died of COVID-19, with 13 additional deaths under investigation.