(Photo AP / Lee Jin-man)
This is a periodically updated story with the latest information on coronavirus and its impact in Arizona and beyond December 26, 2020.
PHOENIX – Arizona health officials reported 6,106 new coronavirus cases and 15 additional deaths on Saturday.
The state’s documented total increased to 493,041 COVID-19 infections and 8,424 deaths, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services board.
Several COVID-19 metrics in Arizona have been at or near pandemic highs.
The number of hospitalized patients confirmed or suspected of Arizona’s COVID-19 hospital fell to 4,165 Friday after a record high of 4,226 Thursday.
However, the number of COVID-19 patients in state ICU beds increased to 983, setting a record for the third time in the last four days.
Patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 statewide occupied 49% of all hospital beds, compared with 50% of the previous two days and 55% of all ICU beds.
Overall, hospital beds were filled by 89% and ICU beds by 91%. The state had 154 unused ICU beds on Friday, 23 more than the day before.
Arizona’s weekly positivity percentage for diagnostic tests for COVID-19, an indicator of how widespread the virus is in the community, was 22% across 76,331 tests for this week. If this is maintained, it will surpass the 21% record from the week beginning June 28th.
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.
The seven-day average for new health department cases was 6,323 on Friday, according to The Associated Press, nearly 150 less than on Thursday.
The seven-day average of COVID-19 deaths reported recently was 84.29 on Friday, declining for the third day in a row, but still the ninth highest in history.
Daily updates present case, death, and evidence data after the state receives and confirms statistics, which can be delayed for 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.
Information about test sites can be found on the Arizona Department of Health Services website.