Arizona hospitals starting to get breathing room as COVID impact lightens

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PHOENIX — Arizona hospitals are starting to get some breathing room as the impact of COVID-19 continues to decline.

Today’s #COVID19 dashboard update adds 5,402 cases and 34 deaths.

The federal government is making COVID-19 self-tests available to all for FREE. Learn more about COVID-19 self-tests at https://t.co/BfUNLQpDOU. pic.twitter.com/ruEhqYZIhE

— AZ Dept of Health (@AZDHS) February 9, 2022

At the peak of the omicron wave in late January, 41% of the state’s inpatient capacity and 40% of ICU beds were taken by people with COVID. In Wednesday’s update of the Arizona Department of Health Services pandemic dashboard, the levels were down to 29% for inpatient beds and 32% for ICU beds.

The number of inpatients with COVID has plummeted by 28% since the omicron wave peak on Jan. 27, and COVID ICU cases have fallen by 19% since Jan. 31.

The ICU COVID case level is now the lowest recorded since the outset of the state’s delta variant wave in early November. Inpatient COVID numbers are the lowest seen since early January.

Here’s the latest data on the pandemic in Arizona (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 – 1,931,642
• Daily new reports – Wednesday: 5,402; One day earlier: 3,790; One week earlier: 8,329; Pandemic high: 27,681 (Jan. 22, 2022)
• Seven-day average – Tuesday: 6,861; One day earlier: 7,401; One week earlier: 13,848; Pandemic high: 20,778 (Jan. 24, 2022)

COVID-19 deaths

• Documented pandemic total – 26,856
• Daily new reports – Wednesday: 34; One day earlier: 183; One week earlier: 24; Pandemic high: 335 (Jan. 12, 2021)
• Seven-day average – Tuesday: 68; One day earlier: 65; One week earlier: 103; Pandemic high: 175 (Jan. 13, 2021)

COVID-19 hospitalizations

• COVID inpatients – Tuesday: 2,568; One day earlier: 2,692; One week earlier: 3,255; Pandemic high: 5,082 (Jan. 11, 2021)
• COVID ICU patients – Tuesday: 528; One day earlier: 572; One week earlier: 630; Pandemic high: 1,183 (Jan. 11, 2021)

Statewide hospital capacity

• Inpatients beds available – Tuesday: 597 (7% of capacity); One day earlier: 617 (7%); One week earlier: 456 (5%)
• Percentage of inpatient beds with COVID patients – Tuesday: 29%; One day earlier: 31%; One week earlier: 37%
• ICU beds available – Tuesday: 147 (9% of capacity); One day earlier: 132 (8%); One week earlier: 125 (8%)
• Percentage of ICU beds with COVID patients – Tuesday: 32%; One day earlier: 35%; One week earlier: 38%

Laboratory diagnostic testing

• Weekly percent positivity – Samples taken this week: 20%; Last week: 23%; Two weeks ago: 29%; 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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