A German aid worker tests a French resident working in Germany to detect COVID-19 on the German-French border near Saarbrücken on Tuesday, March 2, 2021. Germany announced on Sunday that travelers from the French region of Moselle, in the northeast, will face additional restrictions due to the high rate of varying coronavirus cases there. (Photo by AP / Jean-Francois Badias)
This is a periodically updated story with the latest information on coronavirus and its impact in Arizona and beyond March 2, 2021.
PHOENIX – Arizona public health officials reported 849 new cases of coronavirus on Tuesday, the smallest daily increase since Nov. 30 and an additional 81 deaths from COVID-19.
The state’s documented total was upgraded to 818,670 coronavirus infections and 16,060 fatalities, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services’ COVID-19 board.
Many of the metrics used to assess the severity of the pandemic are the lowest they have been since November or earlier.
The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 confirmed or suspected in state hospitals dropped to 1,202 on Monday, the lowest since Nov. 7. The number of ICU beds used by patients with COVID-19 increased from three to 385, the second minus 15 November.
Arizona’s weekly positivity percentage for diagnostic tests for COVID-19, an indicator of how widespread the virus is in the community, is at a minimum of four months.
Of the 77,540 people tested last week, 7% received a positive result, the lowest rate since mid-October. The current week rate was 6% across 2,272 people.
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 recently reported coronavirus cases from the state health department has stood at the past week and was 1,192.43 on Monday, according to The Associated Press, the lowest weekly average recorded since 30 of October.
The average of seven days of recently reported deaths was 79.67 for the second day in a row.
After leading the nation in both categories earlier this year, Arizona now occupies half of the group between the states and the District of Columbia for the rate of new cases, but remains close to the maximum in deaths.
In Monday’s update from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Arizona was sixth nationally for per capita deaths from COVID-19 in the past seven days and 26th in cases.
Daily updates from the Arizona Department of Health present case, death, and test 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 reported electronically the previous evening to 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.
For statewide vaccine availability information, the ADHS website has a vaccine search page with a location map and registration information.
The following are the latest developments in the coronavirus pandemic across the state, the country and the world:
- The Arizona Department of Health Services will begin arranging appointments for adults 55 and older at COVID-19 vaccination sites run by two states beginning at noon.
- The Arizona Department of Health Services reported that 1,857,741 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the state, a day-to-day increase of 39,923, with 1,241,787 people receiving at least one removed.
- Globally, there were about 114.5 million cases of COVID-19 and 2.54 million deaths as of Tuesday morning, according to research from Johns Hopkins University. U.S. figures were about 28.66 million cases and 514,000 deaths.