Arizona COVID deaths slowing; just 9 reported in last 3 days

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PHOENIX – The number of deaths from COVID-19 recorded in Arizona has fallen considerably in recent days, yet another sign the omicron wave may have run its course.

Today’s #COVID19 dashboard update adds 2,177 cases and three deaths.

Staying home if you feel sick reduces the spread of COVID-19. Learn other ways you can help fight COVID-19 at https://t.co/Kd4hI8dDY9 pic.twitter.com/sWW3odMFkp

— AZ Dept of Health (@AZDHS) February 16, 2022

The Arizona Department of Health Services reported three new COVID deaths on Wednesday, bringing the total since Monday to just nine. That’s the smallest three-day total since Oct. 31-Nov. 2.

While Arizona’s other key pandemic metrics have been steadily dropping for weeks, the rate of COVID deaths had been fluctuating until recently.

The seven-day average for newly reported deaths has fallen by about half since hitting an omicron peak of 103 on Feb. 1 and is near the lowest level of 2022.

The last triple-digit batch of newly reported COVID deaths was 165 on Feb. 10. In the six days since then, a total of 168 COVID deaths have been reported.

The state’s seven-day average for newly reported cases, COVID hospitalizations and percent positivity for diagnostic testing were all at their lowest levels of the year as of Wednesday morning.

Here’s the latest state data on the pandemic (hospital, case, death and testing statistics are based on Wednesday 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 – 1,957,085
• Daily new reports – Wednesday: 2,177; One day earlier: 1,740; One week earlier: 5,402; Pandemic high: 27,681 (Jan. 22, 2022)
• Seven-day average – Tuesday: 4,095; One day earlier: 4,388; One week earlier: 6,861; Pandemic high: 20,778 (Jan. 24, 2022)

COVID-19 deaths

• Documented pandemic total – 27,189
• Daily new reports – Wednesday: 3; One day earlier: 5; One week earlier: 34; Pandemic high: 335 (Jan. 12, 2021)
• Seven-day average – Tuesday: 52; One day earlier: 68; One week earlier: 68; Pandemic high: 175 (Jan. 13, 2021)

COVID-19 hospitalizations

• COVID inpatients – Tuesday: 2,037; One day earlier: 2,167; One week earlier: 2,568; Pandemic high: 5,082 (Jan. 11, 2021)
• COVID ICU patients – Tuesday: 443; One day earlier: 451; One week earlier: 528; Pandemic high: 1,183 (Jan. 11, 2021)

Statewide hospital capacity

• Inpatients beds available – Tuesday: 514 (6% of capacity); One day earlier: 591 (7%); One week earlier: 617 (7%)
• Percentage of inpatient beds with COVID patients – Tuesday: 23%; One day earlier: 25%; One week earlier: 29%
• ICU beds available – Tuesday: 141 (9% of capacity); One day earlier: 160 (10%); One week earlier: 147 (9%)
• Percentage of ICU beds with COVID patients – Tuesday: 27%; One day earlier: 28%; One week earlier: 32%

Laboratory diagnostic testing

• Weekly percent positivity – Samples taken this week: 14%; Last week: 16%; Two weeks ago: 22%; Pandemic high (for a full week): 34% (Jan. 16-22, 2022)
• Find a testing site: ADHS (statewide)

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. Booster shots provide additional protection and are approved 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.

The minimum age for vaccination is 5 for Pfizer and 18 for Moderna or Johnson & Johnson.

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