(Photo by Joe Raedle / Getty Images)
This is a regularly updated story with the latest information on coronavirus and its impact in Arizona and beyond February 2, 2021.
PHOENIX – Arizona health officials reported 2,938 new coronavirus cases and 238 additional deaths from COVID-19 on Tuesday.
It was the first daily report with less than 3,000 new cases since Dec. 29, but the highest death report since Jan. 21.
The state’s documented total moved to 765,083 infections and 13,362 fatalities, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services ’COVID-19 board.
Although key metrics indicate that the massive wave in Arizona that began in November is receding, the virus continues to spread across the state.
The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 confirmed or suspected in Arizona fell to 3,513 on Monday, the lowest since Dec. 10.
On Monday, statewide, patients with COVID-19 occupied 40% of all hospital beds and 52% of all ICU beds. Overall, hospital beds had 90% capacity and ICU beds 88%.
Arizona’s weekly positivity rate for diagnostic tests for COVID-19, an indicator of how far the virus is spreading in the community, has been declining, but remains at a substantial level.
Of the 119,808 people tested last week, 16% received a positive result, the lowest rate since before Thanksgiving and the fourth consecutive weekly decline.
Official positivity rates are based on when samples are taken, not when they are reported, so the percentage in recent weeks may fluctuate as labs catch up on testing. and the state documents the results.
Since Monday’s update to U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Arizona has continued to lead the nation in average per capita cases over the past seven days and fell to No. 3 in deaths behind Alabama and Iowa.
The seven-day average of new state health department coronavirus cases was 4,892.86 on Monday, according to follow-up to The Associated Press, the lowest mark since Dec. 4. down last week, it stood at 126.43, the second lowest since January 7th.
Daily status updates present case, death, and evidence data after the state receives and confirms statistics, which can take several days or more. They do not represent the actual activity during the last 24 hours.
Hospitalization data released each morning is communicated electronically the night before by 100 hospitals across the state, as required by executive order.
COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, has no impact on some people and is severely debilitating or deadly to others. Asymptomatic infected people, which include, among other things, cough, fever, and difficulty breathing, are able to spread the virus.
Diagnostic tests are available at hundreds of sites across Arizona and should be looked for by anyone with symptoms or who may have been exposed to an infected person. Information on locations, times, and registration can be found on the Department of Health Services website.
The department also has a vaccine search engine page with an asset map with a map of locations and registration information.
The following are the latest developments in the coronavirus pandemic across the state, the country and the world:
- Globally, there were about 103.5 million cases of COVID-19 and 2.24 million deaths as of Tuesday morning, according to research from Johns Hopkins University. U.S. figures were about 26.32 million cases and 443,000 deaths.