Arizona just under 17,000 known COVID-19 deaths

Arizona reported 706 new COVID-19 cases and two new known deaths on Saturday, moving the state’s total death count to just below 17,000.

Arizona’s seven-day case rate per 100,000 people ranked 46th Friday among all states and territories, after ranking first and second for much of January, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID Data Tracker.

The only states with a lower case rate over the past seven days were Alabama, Mississippi, Kansas, Hawaii, California, Oklahoma and Arkansas.

The state’s seven-day death rate per 100,000 people ranked 20th in the nation as of Friday, per the CDC, behind New York City, Georgia, West Virginia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, California, Florida, Delaware, Kentucky, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Ohio, District of Columbia, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New York and Virginia.

The COVID-19 death rate in Arizona since the pandemic began is 233 deaths per 100,000 people as of Friday, according to the CDC, putting it sixth in the country in a state ranking that separates New York City from New York state. The U.S. average is 165 deaths per 100,000 people as of Friday, the CDC said.

New York City has the highest death rate, at 373 deaths per 100,000 people, followed by New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Mississippi.

Arizona’s case rate per 100,000 people since the pandemic began also ranks sixth nationwide as of Friday.

Arizona’s newly reported two deaths brought the known COVID-19 death count to 16,991.

A total of 843,838 COVID-19 cases have been identified across the state.

The Arizona data dashboard shows 85% of all ICU beds and 89% of all inpatient beds in the state were in use Friday, with 9% of ICU beds and 6% of nonICU beds occupied by COVID-19 patients. Statewide, 264 ICU beds and 931 non-ICU beds were available.

The total number of patients hospitalized in Arizona for known or suspected COVID-19 cases was 541 on Friday, a decrease from 572 on Thursday and far below the record 5,082 inpatients on Jan. 11.

The number of patients with suspected or known COVID-19 in ICUs across Arizona was at 153 on Friday, down from 152 on Thursday and far below the record high of 1,183 on Jan. 11.

Arizonans with confirmed and suspected COVID-19 on ventilators tallied 69 on Friday, a slight increase from 68 on Thursday and well below the record high 821 reached on Jan. 13.

Saturday’s numbers

Reported cases in Arizona: 843,848.

Cases since the outbreak began increased by 706, or 0.08%, from Friday’s 843,132 identified cases. These daily cases are grouped by the date they are reported to the Arizona Department of Health Services, not by the date the tests were administered.

Cases by county: 525,361 in Maricopa, 112,953 in Pima, 49,753 in Pinal, 36,784 in Yuma, 22,189 in Mohave, 18,331 in Yavapai, 17,141 in Coconino, 15,729 in Navajo, 11,636 in Cochise, 11,184 in Apache, 7,833 in Santa Cruz, 6,564 in Gila, 5,368 in Graham, 2,446 in La Paz and 566 in Greenlee, according to state numbers.

The Navajo Nation reported 30,132 cases and 1,253 confirmed deaths in total as of Friday. The Navajo Nation includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

The Arizona Department of Corrections reported 12,214 inmates had tested positive for COVID-19 as of Friday, including 2,240 in Tucson, 2,023 in Eyman, 2,009 in Yuma, 1,303 in Lewis and 1,163 in Douglas; 43,652 inmates statewide have been tested. A total of 2,739 prison staff members have self-reported testing positive, the department said. Forty-three incarcerated people in Arizona have been confirmed to have died of COVID-19, with eight additional deaths under investigation.

Reported deaths in Arizona: 16,991

Deaths by county: 9,663 in Maricopa, 2,359 in Pima, 859 in Pinal, 825 in Yuma, 690 in Mohave, 520 in Navajo, 490 in Yavapai, 420 in Apache, 325 in Coconino, 281 in Cochise, 222 in Gila, 173 in Santa Cruz, 77 in La Paz, 77 in Graham and 10 in Greenlee.

Reach the reporter at bfrank@arizo narepublic.com or 602-444-8529.