Arizona deaths related to coronavirus total 13, with 665 overall cases

Deaths related to COVID-19, the diseased caused by the new coronavirus, now total 13 across Arizona, and total cases number 665 as of Friday, state data shows.

On Thursday, identified cases totaled 508 across the state and eight deaths were included in the state’s morning update. Later in the day, a ninth death was announced by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation.

The number of identified cases increased by 157 cases, or nearly 31%, from Thursday to Friday.

Maricopa County cases alone increased by 100 from Thursday to Friday.

The level of community spread, as listed on the state health department’s website, went from moderate to “widespread” as of Thursday. Community spread means the patient had no history of traveling to regions of the world affected by new coronavirus, and also had no known contact with anyone infected by it.

Five known deaths have occurred in Maricopa County, according to county data, as well as four in Pima County and two in Coconino County.

The Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation announced Thursday afternoon that a man who recently died tested positive for COVID-19 after his death. He was 49 years old and had underlying health problems, according to a press release from the tribe.

The man who died is not a citizen of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation.

Numbers are likely to continue to rise, experts say.

At a Wednesday press conference, state Health Director Dr. Cara Christ said that if infections continue at their current pace, illnesses would peak in April and hospitalizations would peak in May.

“Arizona is still in the opening stages of its COVID-19 outbreak, and the number of cases within the state will increase significantly,” Christ said.

Testing numbers not complete

The number of cases is likely much higher than official numbers suggest. People have reported trouble getting tested, as health professionals confront confusion over who to test and a lack of supplies.

And on Wednesday, the state issued new guidance on testing to primary care providers saying they should “consider removing this diagnostic ‘tool’ from their toolbox and managing patients with respiratory conditions as if they have COVID-19.”

“Keep working with your commercial vendors for testing, but do not depend on having test results for your management,” Christ wrote. “There is no specific treatment or management strategy (for COVID-19), and results should not change clinical management.”

The state health department’s publicly reported numbers only provide positive test results from private labs, not the total number of people tested, leaving the online data incomplete.

The state has seen over 6,600 Arizonans get tested, most of which have been done by private labs, Christ said.