Arizona reports 2,106 new COVID-19 cases, 74 more deaths Wednesday

PHOENIX – Arizona health officials on Wednesday reported 2,106 new COVID-19 cases and 74 additional deaths from the disease.

It was the second consecutive report and fifth in September with more than 70 deaths.

The latest documented totals are 1,072,863 infections and 19,658 fatalities, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services COVID-19 dashboard.

COVID-19 hospitalizations have been easing downward recently, with people who aren’t fully vaccinated are accounting for nearly all of the serious illnesses and deaths.

The number of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 inpatients in the state’s hospitals Tuesday was 1,897, down 36 from the previous day and ninth decline in the last 10 days.

The number of ICU beds used by COVID-19 patients was 846, up eight from the previous day.

COVID-19 patients took up 31% of the state’s ICU beds as of Tuesday, same as the previous day, according to the dashboard. At the peak of the winter surge in January, 66% of the state’s ICU beds were filled with COVID patients.

The positivity rate for COVID-19 diagnostic testing conducted last week was 11% as of Wednesday’s update, down 1 point from the previous week. It was back to 12% so far for this week’s samples.

The dashboard also showed that 4,131,710 people (57.5% of the state’s population, based on 7,189,020 residents) have received at least one dose of vaccine in Arizona and 3,654,342 people are fully vaccinated (50.8% of the population). The nationwide rates are 63.9% with at least one dose and 54.8% fully vaccinated, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The state health department’s daily updates present case and death data after the state receives statistics and confirms them, which can lag by several days or more. They don’t represent the actual activity over the past 24 hours. The hospitalization numbers posted each morning are reported electronically the previous evening by hospitals across the state.

Free federally authorized vaccines are widely available and highly effective in preventing serious illness and death from COVID-19, including the predominant and more contagious delta variant.

For details about statewide vaccine availability, the ADHS website has a vaccine-finder page with locations and other information.

For information about metro Phoenix vaccine availability, Maricopa County Public Health has a locator page that lists pharmacies, government-run sites, health clinics and pop-up distribution events. Appointments may be required depending on the provider.

The minimum age to receive the Pfizer shot is 12, and it’s 18 for the other available versions, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.

COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, has no impact on some people and is seriously debilitating or fatal for others. Infected people without symptoms — which include but are not limited to cough, fever and difficulty breathing — are capable of spreading the virus.

Information about where to get tested for COVID-19 can be found on the ADHS website.

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