Arizona adds over 1,500 new COVID-19 cases and 2 deaths

Arizona reported more than 1,500 new COVID-19 cases and two new known deaths Sunday.

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.

Identified COVID-19 cases in Arizona rose by 1,527 on Sunday to 247,473 and known deaths were at 5,981, according to the daily report from the Arizona Department of Health Services. Sunday marked the sixth straight day that new cases eclipsed 1,000.

An increase in new COVID-19 cases in the summer was an early indicator of more hospitalizations and deaths in the weeks to come.

The number of patients hospitalized statewide for known or suspected COVID-19 cases decreased to 875 on Saturday, down from 889 on Friday. The 900 reported on Oct. 29 was the highest number since Aug. 25, when 967 patients were hospitalized statewide with known and suspected COVID-19. 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 222 on Saturday — the highest level since Sept. 5. 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 112 on Saturday. In mid-July, as many as 687 patients across the state with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 were on ventilators.

Friday’s dashboard shows 84% of inpatient beds and 86% of ICU beds in use, which includes people being treated for COVID-19 and other patients. COVID-19 patients were using10% of all inpatient beds and 13% of ICU beds. Overall, 28% of ventilators were in use.

Percent positivity, which refers to the percent of COVID-19 diagnostic tests that are positive, has gradually increased, which many health experts consider an early indicator of a spike in illnesses.

Of known test results from last week, the percent positivity was 7%, up from 6% 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 three weeks straight, according to state data.

Johns Hopkins University calculates Arizona’s seven-day moving average of percent positives at 11.8% Sunday. It shows the state’s percent positivity had reached a relative plateau and is now trending 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 Sunday’s numbers:

Cases increased by 1,527, or 0.62%, from Saturday’s 245,946 identified cases since the outbreak began.

Cases by county: 159,781 in Maricopa, 28,824 in Pima, 13,994 in Yuma, 12,174 in Pinal, 6,538 in Navajo, 5,405 in Coconino, 4,453 in Mohave, 4,003 in Apache, 3,065 in Santa Cruz, 3,029 in Yavapai, 2,205 in Cochise, 1,989 in Gila, 1,281 in Graham, 628 in La Paz and 104 in Greenlee, according to state numbers.

The Navajo Nation reported 11,753 cases and 581 confirmed deaths as of Saturday. 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 Friday, including 995 in Tucson; 40,937 inmates statewide have been tested.

A total of 767 prison staff members have self-reported testing positive, the state corrections department said. Nineteen incarcerated people in Arizona have been confirmed to have died of COVID-19, with nine additional deaths under investigation.

Arizona as of Sunday had the 16th highest overall rate of infection in the country, an improvement over 14th place on Oct. 26, the Centers for Disease Control and Infection’s COVID Data Tracker says.