Arizona on Tuesday reported more than 60 new known deaths as the current coronavirus surge set another record for hospitalizations and saw the rolling seven-day averages of additional cases and deaths more than double over the past two weeks.
The state Department of Health Services on Tuesday reported 4,134 additional known cases and 64 deaths, increasing the state’s totals to 424,382 cases and 7,422 deaths.
The rolling average of daily new cases rose from 3,499 on Nov. 30 to 7,772.1 on Monday while the rolling average of daily deaths rose from 25 to 58.3, according to data from Johns Hopkins University and The COVID Tracking Project.
Meanwhile, the rolling average of the daily positivity rate from COVID-19 testing nearly doubled during the same period, jumping from 10.2% to 19.5%.
The number of COVID-19-related hospitalizations reached 3,702 on Monday, up from 3,157 a week earlier and including 579 patients on ventilators and 863 in intensive care unit beds, according to the state’s coronavirus dashboard.
Arizona on Friday exceeded the summer surge’s peak of 3,517 COVID-19-related hospitalizations on July 13.
The number of infections is thought to be far higher than reported because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick.
In another development, the Veterans Affairs on Tuesday began administering COVID-19 vaccinations to staff and veterans in Phoenix, starting with those at the VA health care system’s nursing home.
The vaccinations are voluntary for both staff and veterans and they will be offered next to staff of the emergency department and intensive care unit of the VA’s Phoenix medical center, spokeswoman Cindy Dorfner said.
The VA’s health care system in Phoenix was one of 37 VA sites across the country selected to provide vaccinations because they can vaccinate large numbers of people and store the vaccines at required, extremely cold temperatures, the agency said in a statement.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. The vast majority of people recover.
Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
