PHOENIX – Arizona health officials reported 3,621 new cases of COVID-19 and 13 additional deaths from the disease on Thursday.
The latest documented totals are 998,164 infections and 18,661 fatalities, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
With daily reports of more than 2,000 in recent weeks, the state is likely to eclipse a million cases in total with Friday’s update.
The ADHS COVID-19 dashboard has been inactive since Wednesday, but the agency emailed Thursday’s update to the media.
On Wednesday, ADHS reported 3,234 new cases and 10 additional deaths, but did not provide any other new data.
Our team is working to restore public access to the COVID-19 boards on the website, but they are not currently available. Thanks for your patience. Here is the summary data: pic.twitter.com/2KBulSXeKk
– Department of Health AZ (@AZDHS) August 26, 2021
Virus-related hospitalizations have quadrupled almost since the state’s third COVID-19 wave began in early July. People who are not fully vaccinated account for almost all serious illnesses and deaths.
The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 confirmed or suspected in state hospitals was Wednesday at 1,978, with 487 patients with COVID taking ICU beds.
ADHS also reported that 3,989,615 people (55.5% of the state’s population, based on 7,189,020 residents) have received at least one dose of vaccine in Arizona and 3,501,119 people are fully vaccinated (48 .7% of the population). National rates are 61% with at least one dose and 51.7% fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Daily updates from the state health department present case and death data after the state receives statistics and confirms them, which can be delayed for several days or more. They do not represent the actual activity during the last 24 hours. Hospitalization numbers published each morning are communicated electronically the night before by hospitals across the state.
Federally authorized free vaccines are widely available and highly effective in preventing COVID-19 disease, including the most contagious delta variant that now accounts for most new cases in the United States.
For details on statewide vaccine availability, the ADHS website has a vaccine search page with locations and other information.
For information on the availability of the Phoenix Metro vaccine, Maricopa County Public Health has a location page that includes pharmacies, government-run sites, health clinics, and pop-up distribution events. An appointment may be required.
The minimum age to receive the Pfizer shot has been reduced to 12, but is still 18 for the other authorized versions, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.
COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, has no impact on some people and is severely debilitating or deadly to others. Asymptomatic infected people, which include, among others, cough, fever, and difficulty breathing, are able to spread the virus.
You can find information on where to test for COVID-19 on the ADHS website.