Arizona becomes 11th state to report more than 25,000 COVID deaths

PHOENIX – Arizona on Thursday became the 11th state to record more than 25,000 deaths from COVID-19 over the course of the pandemic.

Today’s #COVID19 dashboard update adds 18,573 cases and 10 deaths. More than 25,000 COVID-19 deaths have now been reported in our state. Protect yourself and your community: Get vaccinated/boosted, stay home if sick, mask and distance indoors, more: https://t.co/Kd4hI8vePH. pic.twitter.com/2GpdMIqn4c

— AZ Dept of Health (@AZDHS) January 13, 2022

The state reported 10 more COVID fatalities, pushing the documented total to 25,002.

Arizona, the nation’s 14th-largest state by population, is second only to Mississippi for COVID deaths per 100,000 residents since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention started recording pandemic data two years ago.

Of Arizona’s COVID fatalities, 86% have been at least 55 years old, according the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Although more women than men have tested positive for the virus (52%-48%) in Arizona, 59% of the deaths are men.

Here’s the latest data on the pandemic in Arizona (hospital, case, death, testing and vaccination statistics are based on Thursday morning’s update of the Arizona Department of Health Services COVID-19 dashboard; seven-day averages are based on tracking by The New York Times):

COVID-19 cases

• Documented pandemic total – 1,542,936
• Daily new reports – Thursday: 18,573; One day earlier: 18,783; One week earlier: 10,679; Pandemic high: 18,783 (Jan. 12, 2022)
• Seven-day average – Wednesday: 14,972; One day earlier: 13,395: One week earlier: 7,355; Pandemic high: 14,972 (Jan. 12, 2022)

COVID-19 deaths

• Documented pandemic total – 25,002
• Daily new reports – Thursday: 10; One day earlier: 6; One week earlier: 16; Pandemic high: 335 (Jan. 12, 2021)
• Seven-day average – Wednesday: 60; One day earlier: 68: One week earlier: 57; Pandemic high: 175 (Jan. 13, 2021)

COVID-19 hospitalizations

• COVID inpatients – Wednesday: 2,920; One day earlier: 2,929; One week earlier: 2,556; Pandemic high: 5,082 (Jan. 11, 2021)
• COVID ICU patients – Wednesday: 629; One day earlier: 619; One week earlier: 605; Pandemic high: 1,183 (Jan. 11, 2021)

Statewide hospital capacity

• Inpatients beds available – Wednesday: 446 (5% of capacity); One day earlier: 446 (5%); One week earlier: 505 (6%)
• Percentage of inpatient beds with COVID patients – Wednesday: 33%; One day earlier: 33%; One week earlier: 29%
• ICU beds available – Wednesday: 78 (5% of capacity); One day earlier: 95 (6%); One week earlier: 91 (5%)
• Percentage of ICU beds with COVID patients – Wednesday: 38%; One day earlier: 37%; One week earlier: 36%

Laboratory diagnostic testing

• Weekly percent positivity – Samples taken this week: 34%; Last week: 29%; Two weeks ago: 22%; Pandemic high (for a completed week): 29% (Jan. 2-8, 2022)
• Find a testing site: ADHS (statewide)

Vaccines

• Percentage of eligible Arizonans with at least one shot – As of Thursday: 71.1%; Previous day: 70.8%
• Percentage of eligible Arizonans fully vaccinated – As of Thursday: 59.2%; Previous day: 59.1%
• Find a vaccine site: ADHS (statewide); Maricopa County Public Health (metro Phoenix)

Additional details

The ADHS daily case and death updates can cover multiple days of reporting because of data processing procedures and aren’t meant to represent the actual activity over the previous 24 hours. The hospitalization numbers posted each morning are reported electronically the previous evening by hospitals across the state.

The actual caseload is likely higher than officially reported because ADHS data is based mainly on electronic laboratory reporting and doesn’t include results from home kits unless individuals report them to their health care providers.

Vaccines have proven to reduce the likelihood of a COVID infection causing serious illness or death, even with the highly contagious omicron variant.

The minimum age for vaccination is 5 for Pfizer and 18 for Moderna or Johnson & Johnson. Boosters are approved, and highly encouraged, for individuals who received their second Pfizer (ages 12 and up only) or Moderna doses at least five months ago or the Johnson & Johnson shot at least two months ago.

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