A health worker takes a sample of a person with COVID-19 symptoms for testing at a hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Tuesday, August 18, 2020. (AP Photo / Natacha Pisarenko)
This is a regularly updated story with the latest information, news and updates about the coronavirus and its effects in Arizona and beyond for Friday, August 21st.
PHOENIX – Arizona authorities reported 619 new cases of coronavirus and four deaths Friday morning.
That puts the state’s documented total at 196,899 COVID-19 infections and 4,668 deaths, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Several key metrics about the severity of the pandemic in Arizona, including coronavirus-related hospitalizations, are at or near the lowest they have been in a month or more.
The rolling average of seven days for newly reported cases dropped to 783.71 on Wednesday, the lowest seen since June 4, according to tracking by The Associated Press.
The seven-day average of newly reported deaths ticks to 43, the second-lowest mark since July 10th.
The seven-day average for new cases peaked at 3,844 on July 6, and the death toll reached a high of 94 on July 30.
The spread of coronavirus in Arizona has slowed in the month-plus since the implementation of face mask requirements by local governments in many areas – including all of Maricopa County – and statewide executive orders to close businesses such as bars and gyms and restaurants limit occupation.
These moves were made after the state became a global hotspot for the coronavirus, which does not affect some people and is seriously fatal or fatal to others. Infected people without symptoms – which include, but are not limited to, cough, fever, and difficulty breathing – are able to spread the virus.
Arizona’s weekly positive rate for COVID-19 diagnostic tests, which shows how much the virus is spreading, is on pace to decrease for the seventh consecutive week.
For the 21,469 samples taken since Sunday that have been processed and recorded, the positive rate is 5%. If it stops, it would be the lowest rate since the week beginning May 10th.
Weekly rates are based on when the samples are taken, not when they are reported, so the percentage for the past weeks may fluctuate as laboratories are caught during tests and the results are documented by the state.
The Arizona Department of Health’s daily reports present current data on case, death, and testing after the state receives and confirms statistics, which can be delayed by several days or more. They do not represent actual activity in the last 24 hours.
However, hospital data posted each morning are being reported by hospitals the previous evening, showing coronavirus-related hospitalizations at their lowest levels since early June.
The number of confirmed as suspected COVID-19 inpatients from Arizona fell to 1,070 on Thursday, the lowest since June 1st.
The number of COVID-19 patients in ICU beds has dropped to 365, the lowest since May 25th.
COVID-19 patients peaked at 3,517 on July 13, and COVID-19 patients in ICU beds peaked at 970 the same day.
Overall, inpatient beds on Thursday were 83% full, 1 point higher than the previous day. The occupancy rate of inpatients reached 88% on July 9-10.
The occupancy rate of the ICU was 78%, for the second consecutive day. It peaked at 7% at 91%.
Data from hospital companies on the health department’s website does not include storage beds that are not activated but could potentially increase capacity.
Below are Friday’s latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic from around the state, country and world:
- Navajo Nation reported 12 cases of coronavirus and two deaths. The community has now reported 9,531 total cases and 489 deaths. A total of 7,007 individuals were recovered.
- There have been 95 approvals for companies to reopen. That includes eight bars, 83 gyms and four theaters. A total of 200 businesses were rejected, including 102 bars, 97 gyms and one theater.
- Dr. Cara Christ, director of health at Arizona, told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show that the state will not immediately force the company to close again if COVID-19 metrics take a turn for the worse.
- Arizona Department of Health Services Director Dr. Cara Christ told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show that the delay time in data for dashboards of state schools and businesses helps ensure accurate information.
- Although it starts in October, plans are already underway in Arizona to adopt this flu season this year, as the state is still dealing with the coronavirus.
- There were more than 22.7 million coronavirus cases and 794,000 deaths reported worldwide as of Thursday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University. For the US, there were more than 5.5 million cases and 174,000 deaths.
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