Mesa Fire Department Captain Jeff Stieber receives the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against COVID-19 at the state laboratory of the Arizona Department of Health Services of Nurse Machrina Leach on Wednesday, December 16, 2020, in Phoenix. (Photo by AP / Ross D. Franklin)
This is a periodically updated story with the latest information on coronavirus and its impact in Arizona and beyond December 18, 2020.
PHOENIX – Arizona health officials reported 7,635 new coronavirus cases and 142 additional deaths on Friday as state hospitals continued to fill up.
It was the third day in a row with at least 100 deaths reported. Until Thursday, there had never been days in a row in three digits.
According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, the state’s documented totals increased to 442,671 COVID-19 infections and 7,819 fatalities.
As the vaccine launch began this week, several COVID-19 metrics in Arizona were or were approaching the highest levels of the pandemic.
The number of COVID-19 hospitalized patients confirmed or suspected in Arizona was up to 3,931 on Thursday, the seventh consecutive day of registration.
The number of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients in Arizona in ICU beds was 915, most since July 16 and closed at the 970 record on July 13.
Patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 statewide reported 46% of all hospital beds and 52% of all ICU beds.
Overall, hospital beds filled 93%, which was the previous day’s record, and ICU beds also filled 93%, a new record. The number of remaining hospital beds (618) and ICU beds (128) were at record low points in the pandemic.
Arizona’s weekly positivity percentage for diagnostic testing for COVID-19, an indicator of how many viruses are spreading in the community, shows signs of leveling.
Through 63,019 tests this week, the positivity rate was 17%. The rate, which was 18% the previous two weeks, reached 21% at the end of June.
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 of new health department cases was 6,786.71 on Thursday, according to The Associated Press, the second-highest in history.
The average of seven days of recently reported deaths has risen this month. It was at 74.71 on Thursday, tripling from December 1 to the highest level since August 2. The weekly average death toll peaked at July 30 at 94.
Daily reports from the Arizona Department of Health present data on cases, deaths, and evidence after the state receives statistics and confirms them, 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.
Information about test sites can be found on the Arizona Department of Health Services website.
Below are Friday’s latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic across the state, country and world:
- Said Dr. Will Humble, former director of the Arizona Department of Health Services Gaydos and Chad from KTAR News 92.3 FM that emergency approvals for more coronavirus vaccines will help the state vaccinate more people at a faster rate.
- Three firefighters in the valley were among the first Arizonans to receive the coronavirus vaccine and are waiting for other front-line workers to roll up their sleeves.
- Arizona Department of Health Services director Dr. Cara Christ says Arizona residents are safer at home this holiday as coronavirus cases increase.
- Vice President Mike Pence was vaccinated against COVID-19 at a live television event with the goal of reassuring Americans that the vaccine is safe.
- Globally, there were about 75.13 million cases of COVID-19 and 1.66 million deaths on Friday morning, according to research from Johns Hopkins University. U.S. figures were about 17.21 million cases and 310,000 deaths.