Arizona reports 1,679 new COVID-19 cases and 38 deaths

On Election Day, Arizona added nearly 1,700 new COVID-19 cases and 38 new known deaths, continuing worsening trends on case counts and hospitalizations.

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.

But new case rates in Arizona fall below the rates reported in 33 other states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID Data Tracker says. Cases are surging in North Dakota, where the new case rate per 100,000 people for the previous seven days was 146.1 as of Monday, the CDC reports. By comparison, Arizona’s rate was 18.6.

Identified COVID-19 cases in Arizona rose by 1,679 on Tuesday to 249,818, and known deaths were at 6,020, according to the daily report from the Arizona Department of Health Services. New cases have eclipsed 1,000 for eight of the past 10 days.

The 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 rose to 956 on Monday, up from 918 on Sunday and 875 on Saturday. Monday’s inpatient total is the highest number reported since Aug. 25. 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 227 on Monday, similar to 231 ICU beds in use on Sunday, which was the highest level since Sept. 3.

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 Monday, down from 120 on Sunday, which was the highest level since Sept. 9.

In mid-July, as many as 687 patients across the state with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 were on ventilators.

Tuesday’s dashboard shows 84% of inpatient beds and 85% of ICU beds in use, which includes people being treated for COVID-19 and other patients. COVID-19 patients were using 11% of all inpatient beds and14% 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 gone up slightly, 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. Percent positivity was at 4% for several weeks during August, September and October, according to state data.

Johns Hopkins University calculates Arizona’s seven-day moving average of percent positives at 11.8% as of Tuesday. 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.

What you need to know about Tuesday’s numbers

Reported cases in Arizona: 249,818. Cases increased by 1,679, or 0.68%, from Monday’s 248,139 identified cases since the outbreak began.

Cases by county: 161,154 in Maricopa, 29,141 in Pima, 14,071 in Yuma, 12,312 in Pinal, 6,579 in Navajo, 5,470 in Coconino, 4,538 in Mohave, 4,042 in Apache, 3,102 in Yavapai, 3,078 in Santa Cruz, 2,256 in Cochise, 2,034 in Gila, 1,307 in Graham, 630 in La Paz and 104 in Greenlee, according to state numbers.

The Navajo Nation reported 11,875 cases and 584 confirmed deaths as of Monday. The Navajo Nation includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

The Arizona Department of Corrections said 2,648 inmates had tested positive for COVID-19 as of Monday, including 999 in Tucson; 41,196 inmates statewide have been tested. A total of 784 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.