Arizona reports 4,012 new COVID-19 cases, 33 more deaths Thursday

PHOENIX – Arizona health officials reported 4,012 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, eclipsing 4,000 for the first time in over a week, with 33 additional deaths.

Today’s #COVID19 dashboard update adds 4,012 cases and 33 deaths. Booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine are recommended for fully vaccinated adults at least six months after the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines and at least two months after J&J. Find a provider at https://t.co/q2kfD0sU6i. pic.twitter.com/iAaRpGaUdU

— AZ Dept of Health (@AZDHS) December 2, 2021

After the largest daily case report since Nov. 24, the Arizona Department of Health Services COVID-19 dashboard showed documented pandemic totals of 1,276,955 infections and 22,383 deaths.

The ADHS dashboard also showed 2,681 confirmed or suspected COVID inpatients in Arizona hospitals on Wednesday, 20 more than the previous day and the most since Feb. 8.

ICU usage for COVID patients decreased to 668, down 31 from the previous day but the second-most since Feb. 12.

The inpatient and ICU numbers each have increased by around 50% since the end of October.

The height of last winter’s spike saw more than 10,000 new cases reported on some days, with over 5,000 COVID inpatients and 1,100 ICU patients.

COVID patients accounted for 31% of all Arizona’s inpatient capacity and 37% of the state’s ICU capacity on Wednesday. The number of unused hospital beds statewide was at 464 for inpatients and 116 for ICUs.

Fourteen percent of the completed diagnostic tests for samples taken last week returned positive as of Thursday’s dashboard update, the highest weekly percent positivity since Jan. 17-23.

The positive rate was also 14% for this week’s samples that have been completed and reported. Last winter’s peak for weekly percent positivity was 19% for Dec. 27-Jan. 3.

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.

The dashboard showed 66.6% of Arizonans old enough to get vaccinated have received at least one shot, while 57.5% of those eligible are fully vaccinated.

The minimum age to receive the Pfizer shot is 5, and it’s 18 for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. The Pfizer version has full Food and Drug Administration approval, while the other two were granted emergency use authorization.

Officials are now recommending booster shots for adults who received their second Pfizer or Moderna doses more than six months ago and those who got the Johnson & Johnson shot at least two months ago.

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.

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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