Arizona reports 728 new coronavirus cases, 41 additional deaths

This is a regularly updated story with the latest information, news and updates about the coronavirus and its impact in Arizona and beyond for Friday, Sept. 4.

PHOENIX – Arizona health authorities reported 728 new coronavirus cases and 41 additional deaths on Friday morning.

That put the state’s documented totals at 204,681 COVID-19 infections and 5,171 fatalities, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Multiple key metrics about the severity of Arizona’s pandemic are at or near the lowest they’ve been in a month or more, including coronavirus-related hospitalizations.

The rolling seven-day average for newly reported cases slightly increased Wednesday to 545, one of the lowest totals seen since June 1, according to tracking by The Associated Press.

The seven-day average of newly reported deaths rose to 34, among the lowest marks since the start of July.

The seven-day average for new cases peaked July 6 at 3,844, and the stat for deaths reached a high of 94 on July 30.

The spread of coronavirus in Arizona has been slowing in the month-plus since the implementation of face mask requirements by local governments in many areas — including all of Maricopa County — and statewide executive orders to close certain businesses and restrict restaurant occupancy.

Those moves were made after the state became a global hot spot for the coronavirus, which 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.

Arizona’s weekly positive rate for COVID-19 diagnostic tests, which shows how much the virus is spreading, had declined for seven consecutive weeks but may be leveling off.

For the 24,321 samples taken since Sunday that have been processed and recorded, the positive rate is 4%, down 1 percentage point from last week.

Weekly rates are based on when the samples are taken, not when they are reported, so the percentage for recent weeks can fluctuate as labs get caught up on testing and the results are documented by the state.

The Arizona health department’s daily reports present case, death and testing 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 hospital data posted each morning, however, is reported the previous evening by the hospitals and shows coronavirus-related hospitalizations at or near their lowest points in several months.

The number of Arizona’s confirmed or suspected COVID-19 inpatients dipped to 742 on Thursday, one of the lowest totals since May 22.

The number of COVID-19 patients in ICU beds dropped to 236, the lowest total since it was 270 all the way back on April 13.

COVID-19 inpatients peaked at 3,517 on July 13, and COVID-19 patients in ICU beds topped out at 970 the same day.

Overall, inpatient beds were 82% full on Thursday, the same as the previous day. Only 9% of beds, however, were taken by COVID patients.

The inpatient occupancy rate peaked at 88% on July 9-10, when more than 40% of beds were filled with COVID patients.

The ICU occupancy rate was 80% on Thursday, the same as the previous day. COVID patients took up just 14% of the ICU beds, the lowest percentage since April 9.

ICU occupancy rate topped out at 91% on July 7, when more than half of the state’s ICU beds were filled with COVID patients.

Hospital bed data on the health department website does not include surge beds that have not been activated but can potentially increase capacity.

Below are Friday’s latest developments about the coronavirus pandemic from around the state, country and world:

• The Navajo Nation reported 10 new coronavirus cases and 16 recently reported deaths that occurred between May and August, bringing the total number of cases to 9,883 and death toll to 520.
• Phoenix Rising FC announced on Friday that the club will be allowing fewer than 1,000 season-ticket members at home games starting with Sept. 11’s contest against Las Vegas Lights FC.
• AZDHS health director Dr. Cara Christ is stressing safety over the Labor Day weekend as a key metric measuring the spread rate of coronavirus is trending in the wrong direction in the state.
• Maricopa County meets the recommended coronavirus benchmarks for schools to safely begin in-person learning, but some parents are still worried.
• The U.S. unemployment rate fell sharply in August to 8.4% from 10.2% even as hiring slowed, with employers adding the fewest jobs since the pandemic began.

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