Virus figures keep rising

Arizona’s daily coronavirus numbers climbed again Monday, continuing more than two weeks of high numbers of cases, deaths and hospitalizations.

Arizona’s daily coronavirus numbers climbed again Monday, continuing more than two weeks of high numbers of reported cases, deaths and hospitalizations.

The state reported 1,014 new cases Monday. More than 1,000 new cases have been reported on 10 of the past 14 days, including on the past six days.

ICU beds for patients with suspected and confirmed COVID-19 hit its highest number on Sunday, with 464 patients in the ICU, surpassing Saturday’s 452 patients.

Emergency department visits for patients with suspected and confirmed positive COVID-19 also reached its highest level on Sunday, with 931 patients seen for COVID-19 in emergency rooms.

In a briefing last week, Gov. Doug Ducey focused on hospital capacity — saying that although positive COVID-19 cases have been increasing, Arizona’s hospitals are prepared to handle more patients.

Ducey said concern about hospitals was “misinformation” and that Arizona hospitals are doing fine.

Arizona’s sharp uptick during the past two to three weeks, particularly the spikes in positive cases, has raised questions and alarm locally and nationally about whether the state has done enough to slow the spread and what other precautions may be necessary.

Ducey’s stay-at-home order expired just over a month ago.

Here’s what you need to know about Monday’s new numbers.

Cases increased by 1,014, or 2.8%, from Sunday’s 35,691 identified cases.

19,372 in Maricopa, 3,944 in Pima, 3,265 in Yuma, 2,636 in Navajo, 1,975 in Apache, 1,568 in Pinal, 1,373 in Coconino, 988 in Santa Cruz, 618 in Mohave, 374 in Yavapai, 222 in La Paz, 221 in Cochise,

87 in Gila, 50 in Graham and 12 in Greenlee, according to state numbers.

The Navajo Nation reported 6,611 cases and 311 confirmed deaths as of Sunday. The Navajo Nation includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

The Arizona Department of Corrections said 252 inmates had tested positive for COVID-19 as of Friday. 2,125 inmates have been tested out of a population of 40,632.

While race/ethnicity is unknown for 38% of cases, 26% of cases are Hispanic or Latino, 18% of cases are white, 11% are Native American and 3% are Black.

Laboratories have completed 344,929 diagnostic tests for COVID-19, 8.5% of which have come back positive.

Reported deaths: 1,194

Deaths increased by eight from Sunday’s 1,186 known deaths.

557 in Maricopa, 223 in Pima, 88 in Coconino, 86 in Navajo, 67 in Mohave, 56 in Apache, 44 in Pinal, 42 in Yuma, 12 in Santa Cruz, seven in Yavapai, four in Cochise, three in Gila and fewer than three in La Paz, Graham and Greenlee.

People aged 65 and older made up 903 of the 1,194 deaths, or 76%.

While race/ethnicity is unknown for 12% of deaths, 45% of deaths were white, 20% were Hispanic or Latino, 18% were Native American and 3% were Black.

Hospitalizations still increasing

Inpatients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 tallied 1,449 as of Sunday, trailing only Saturday’s 1,457 inpatients. This was the 14th consecutive day that hospitalizations statewide have eclipsed 1,000, the highest they’ve been since the state began reporting the data on April 8.