Arizona virus update: 801 new cases, 1 death

Arizona reported 801 new COVID-19 cases and one new known death on Monday as new cases continued upward trends, but measures remained 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 238,964 and known deaths were at 5,875, 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 837 on Sunday, up slightly from the three previous days. Wednesday’s 848 inpatients was the highest number reported since Aug. 26. At the peak of Arizona’s surge in July, the number of hospitalized patients suspected or confirmed to have the virus exceeded 3,000.

The number of patients with suspected or known COVID-19 in intensive care units across Arizona was at 179 on Sunday. Friday’s 191 ICU beds in use was the highest level since Sept. 9. The level is far below what it was in July, when ICU beds in use for COVID-19 reached 970.

The number of Arizonans with confirmed and suspected COVID-19 on ventilators was at 97 on Sunday, the highest daily level since Sept. 10. In midJuly, as many as 687 patients across the state with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 were on ventilators.

Numbers of note

Cases by county: 154,722 in Maricopa, 27,575 in Pima, 13,646 in Yuma, 11,743 in Pinal, 6,307 in Navajo, 5,090 in Coconino, 4,272 in Mohave, 3,885 in Apache, 2,981 in Santa Cruz, 2,893 in Yavapai, 2,121 in Cochise, 1,863 in Gila, 1,151 in Graham, 613 in La Paz and 102 in Greenlee, according to state numbers.

The rate of cases per 100,000 people is highest in Yuma County, followed by Santa Cruz, Navajo and Apache counties. The rate in Yuma County is 5,934 cases per 100,000 people. By comparison, the U.S. average rate is 2,585 cases per 100,000 people, according to data released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Navajo Nation reported 11,217 cases and 574 confirmed deaths as of Saturday. The Navajo Nation includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

Laboratories have completed 1,714,801 diagnostic tests for COVID-19, 10.3% of which have come back positive.

County deaths: 3,541 in Maricopa, 636 in Pima, 354 in Yuma, 238 in Navajo, 230 in Mohave, 217 in Pinal, 169 in Apache, 147 in Coconino, 88 in Yavapai, 73 in Cochise, 70 in Gila, 65 in Santa Cruz, 28 in Graham,17 in La Paz and fewer than three in Greenlee.