82 new coronavirus cases pushes Arizona total to 234
Mar 23, 2020, 9:04 AM | Updated: 10:18 am
A medical worker prepares to tend to patients at the drive-in center at ProHealth Care on March 21, 2020 in Jericho, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
PHOENIX – The Arizona health department reported 82 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday morning, pushing the state total to 234 positive coronavirus tests.
Arizona Department of Health Services initially reported 235 total cases but corrected to the lower figure an hour after its daily morning update.
The death count remained at two, both in metro Phoenix.
The total was 152 in the state’s Sunday morning report.
A majority of the state’s coronavirus cases are in Maricopa County, which has reported 139 positive tests. That’s an increase of 58 from the previous day’s total of 81.
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The breakdown of metro Phoenix cases is 37% for ages 18-40, 33% for 41-65 and 30% for 66 and older, according to Maricopa County Public Health.
Twenty-five Maricopa County patients have been hospitalized, 18% of the total cases, with seven in the intensive care unit.
Navajo County has the second-highest number of cases in Arizona, with 25, following an outbreak on Navajo Nation territory.
Of Arizona’s 15 counties, only Gila, Mohave, La Paz and Greenlee hadn’t reported any positive tests as of Monday morning.
Pima County had 24, Coconino and Pinal 17 each, Apache four, Yavapai three and Graham two, and Yuma, Santa Cruz and Cochise one each.
Private laboratories have been diagnosing most of Arizona’s cases, with 194. The state public health lab has found 41 positive cases.
Federal and state officials have said an increased capacity to administer and process tests will result in a sharp increase in the rate of new cases in the coming days, so it’s unclear how much of the increase is due to spread of the virus and how much to the boost in testing.
On Monday morning, Banner Health said it would start collecting samples at several drive-thru locations in Arizona, but only after patients are screened and appointments are scheduled.
State health leaders are advising people with mild symptoms to stay home and said not to go to an emergency room unless the situation is an emergency. They said positive tests won’t change treatment for patients in the absence of serious symptoms.
Arizonans can now get important #COVID19 related information in English and Spanish by simply dialing 2-1-1. @AZDHS @ArizonaDES @211arizona @CrisisNetworkAZ https://t.co/dRD58XiBM5
— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) March 22, 2020
On Sunday, Arizona launched a 2-1-1 hotline for residents to call so they can ask questions and voice concerns about COVID-19.
The line will operate 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily with information available in English and Spanish.
