Arizona reports dip in new virus cases; pace of deaths rises

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Vehicles line up at patrons wait for COVID-19 tests at a drive-thru testing center Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona on Tuesday reported fewer than 2,000 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 for the first time in two weeks as the pace of the state’s pandemic death toll rose.

The additional 1,934 cases and 71 deaths reported Tuesday increased the state’s pandemic totals to 1,070,757 cases and 19,584 deaths, according to the state’s coronavirus dashboard.

Virus-related hospitalization levels were below 2,000 for the fourth consecutive day, with 1,933 COVID-19 patients occupying hospital beds as of Monday, the dashboard reported.

The seven-day rolling average of daily deaths rose over the last two weeks, rising from 35.5 on Sept. 5 to 46.6 on Sunday, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

The rolling average of daily new cases dropped from 3,101 to 2,563.6 during the same period.

Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.