Nearly 900 new virus cases reported in Ariz.
Arizona reported 890 new COVID-19 cases and four new known deaths Saturday as new cases continue upward trends, but metrics remain far below levels from the summer peak.
The past several weeks have seen relatively higher daily case reports as the virus spreads at its fastest rate in Arizona since June.
Identified cases rose to 236,772 and known deaths were at 5,869, according to the daily report from the Arizona Department of Health Services.
The number of patients hospitalized statewide for known or suspected COVID-19 cases was at 819 on Friday, a slight increase from 815 on Thursday.
The number of patients with suspected or known COVID-19 in intensive care units across Arizona was at 191 on Friday, up from 172 on Thursday.
The number of Arizonans with confirmed and suspected COVID-19 on ventilators was at 87 on Friday, up from 85 on Thursday.
Saturday’s dashboard shows 86% of inpatient beds and 84% of ICU beds in use, which includes people being treated for COVID-19 and other patients.
COVID-19 patients were using 10% of all inpatient beds and 11% of ICU beds.
Overall, 28% of ventilators were in use.
Reported cases
Cases increased by 890, or 0.38%, from Friday’s 236,882 identified cases since the outbreak began.
Cases by county: 153,177 in Maricopa, 27,417 in Pima, 13,500 in Yuma, 11,689 in Pinal, 6,264 in Navajo, 4,991 in Coconino, 4,266 in Mohave, 3,854 in Apache, 2,972 in Santa Cruz, 2,874 in Yavapai, 2,105 in Cochise, 1,841 in Gila, 1,110 in Graham, 611 in La Paz and 100 in Greenlee, according to state numbers.
The Navajo Nation reported 11,151 cases and 574 confirmed deaths as of Friday. The Navajo Nation includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.
The Arizona Department of Corrections said 2,626 inmates had tested positive for COVID-19 as of Friday, including 995 in Tucson; 40,900 inmates statewide have been tested.
A total of 744 prison staff members have self-reported testing positive, the state corrections department said. Eighteen incarcerated people in Arizona have been confirmed to have died of COVID-19, with 10 additional deaths under investigation.
Reported deaths
On Saturday, four new known deaths were reported.
County deaths: 3,538 in Maricopa, 636 in Pima, 354 in Yuma, 238 in Navajo, 230 in Mohave, 217 in Pinal, 168 in Apache, 147 in Coconino, 87 in Yavapai, 73 in Cochise, 69 in Gila, 65 in Santa Cruz, 28 in Graham, 17 in La Paz and fewer than three in Greenlee.