Arizona reports increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations

Arizona reported more than 800 new cases and 39 new known deaths on Wednesday as hospitalizations for the disease hit their highest levels in more than two months.

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 34 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 151.4 as of Tuesday, the CDC reports. By comparison, Arizona’s rate was 18.3.

Identified COVID-19 cases in Arizona rose by 814 on Wednesday to 250,633, and known deaths were at 6,059, according to the daily report from the Arizona Department of Health Services. New cases have eclipsed 1,000 for eight of the past 11 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 1,065 on Tuesday, up from 956 on Monday and 918 on Sunday. Tuesday’s inpatient total is the highest number reported and the first breach of 1,000 since Aug. 21. 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 241 on Tuesday, up from 227 ICU beds in use on Monday.

Tuesday saw the highest number of ICU beds in use since Sept. 2. 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 127 on Tuesday, up from 112 on Monday. Tuesday marked the most ventilators in use in a single day since Sept. 4. In mid-July, as many as 687 patients across the state with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 were on ventilators.

Wednesday’s dashboard shows 85% 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 using 12% of all inpatient beds and 15% of ICU beds. Overall, 29% 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 12.3% as of Wednesday. 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 Wednesday’s numbers

Reported cases in Arizona: 250,633. Cases increased by 814, or 0.33%, from Tuesday’s 249,818 identified cases since the outbreak began.

Cases by county:161,588 in Maricopa, 29,291 in Pima, 14,101 in Yuma, 12,361 in Pinal, 6,618 in Navajo, 5,498 in Coconino, 4,550 in Mohave, 4,054 in Apache, 3,113 in Yavapai, 3,080 in Santa Cruz, 2,272 in Cochise, 2,047 in Gila, 1,320 in Graham, 633 in La Paz and 106 in Greenlee, according to state numbers.

The rate of cases per 100,000 people is highest in Yuma County, followed by Navajo, Santa Cruz and Apache counties. The rate in Yuma County is 6,132 cases per 100,000 people. By comparison, the U.S. average rate is 2,801 cases per 100,000 people, according to the CDC.

The Navajo Nation reported 11,947 cases and 582 confirmed deaths as of Tuesday.

The Navajo Nation includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.