New COVID-19 cases surpass 1,000 Wednesday

Arizona’s COVID-19 cases rose by 1,043 and the state reported 14 new known deaths on Wednesday as upward trends continued.

The past several weeks have seen relatively higher daily case reports as the virus spreads at its fastest rate in Arizona since June, although case numbers are still well below where they were at during the summer peak.

The Arizona Department of Health

Services on Tuesday released a video that notes a 57% increase in weekly new cases from September’s numbers and tells state residents to “remain vigilant” about following COVID-19 prevention practices like physical distancing and wearing a mask in public.

Identified COVID-19 cases in Arizona rose on Wednesday to 241,165 and known deaths were at 5,905, according to the daily report from the Arizona Department of Health Services.

The number of patients hospitalized statewide for known or suspected CO

VID-19 cases rose again on Tuesday to 871 from 861 on Monday. Tuesday’s total is the highest number reported since Aug. 26.

The number of patients with suspected or known COVID-19 in intensive care units across Arizona was at 188 on Tuesday. 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 94 on Tuesday, down from 100 on Monday.

Wednesday’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, 29% of ventilators were in use.

State cautions Arizonans in new video

The state’s video emphasizes that COVID-19 concerns are on the rise.

“Globally and nationally, cases of COVID-19 have increased over the last several weeks, and now that trend is occurring in Arizona, too,” health department director Dr. Cara Christ says in the video. “The increased cases and percent positivity show that COVID-19 is still actively circulating in our communities.”

Christ says the main driver of COVID-19 transmission, both in Arizona and nationally, appears to be small household gatherings where people feel safe because they are around family and friends.

Percent positivity refers to the percent of COVID-19 diagnostic tests that are positive.

Of known test results from last week, 6% have come back positive, up from 5% the week prior, according to the state, which has a unique way of calculating percent positivity. Before the past two weeks, percent positivity was at 4% for six weeks straight, according to state data.

Johns Hopkins University calculates Arizona’s seven-day moving average of percent positives at 9.3%. It shows the state’s percent positivity had reached a relative plateau and is now trending slightly upward.

A positivity rate of 5% is considered a good benchmark that the spread of the disease is under control.

Here’s what you need to know about Wednesday’s new numbers

Reported cases in Arizona: 241,165. Cases increased by 1,043 or 0.43%, from Tuesday’s 240,122 identified cases since the outbreak began.

Cases by county: 155,951 in Maricopa, 27,962 in Pima, 13,689 in Yuma, 11,873 in Pinal, 6,340 in Navajo, 5,165 in Coconino, 4,340 in Mohave, 3,934 in Apache, 3,004 in Santa Cruz, 2,939 in Yavapai, 2,150 in Cochise, 1,914 in Gila, 1,185 in Graham, 618 in La Paz and 101 in Greenlee (on Tuesday Greenlee was 103), according to state numbers.

The Navajo Nation reported 11,386 cases and 575 confirmed deaths as of Tuesday. The Navajo Nation includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

The Arizona Department of Corrections said 2,636 inmates had tested positive for COVID-19 as of Tuesday, including 995 in Tucson; 40,937 inmates statewide have been tested.

A total of 758 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.

Arizona’s infection rate is 3,332 cases per 100,000 people, the CDC said. The national average is 2,623 cases per 100,000 people, though the rates in states hard-hit early on in the pandemic may be an undercount because a lack of available testing in March and April.

County deaths: 3,559 in Maricopa, 636 in Pima, 354 in Yuma, 239 in Navajo, 230 in Mohave, 224 in Pinal, 169 in Apache, 148 in Coconino, 89 in Yavapai, 75 in Cochise, 70 in Gila, 65 in Santa Cruz, 28 in Graham, 17 in La Paz and fewer than three in Greenlee.