Arizona reports fewer than 3,000 new COVID cases; inpatient numbers still rising

PHOENIX – Arizona health officials on Monday reported fewer than 3,000 new COVID-19 cases for only the second time in the last 12 days.

With no coronavirus-related deaths added for the second consecutive Monday, the latest documented totals are 1,217,193 cases and 21,653 fatalities, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services’ COVID-19 dashboard.

Today’s #COVID19 dashboard adds 2,774 cases and no deaths. Protect yourself by getting vaccinated, getting a booster dose if you are eligible, and wearing a mask and distancing around those you don’t live with. Also, stay home if you are sick. More: https://t.co/Ub1IbP36vA. pic.twitter.com/FfRQTYiqzJ

— AZ Dept of Health (@AZDHS) November 15, 2021

Despite the encouraging case report, the number of inpatients confirmed or suspected of having the virus in Arizona hospitals reached a nine-month high, according to the latest data.

There were 2,200 COVID inpatients in Arizona hospitals Sunday, 65 more than the previous day and the most since Feb. 13, when the extreme winter surge was easing but vaccines were in limited supply. The number is up 32.3% in the last month.

ICU usage for COVID patients dipped slightly but is still near its highest level since the delta variant became of dominant form of the virus during the summer.

There were 554 COVID patients in ICU beds in Arizona on Sunday, 11 fewer than the previous day but the second-most since Sept. 16, which saw the highest COVID ICU usage of the delta wave.

Twelve percent of the completed diagnostic tests for samples taken last week have been positive, according to the dashboard, up 1 percentage point from the previous week to the highest level since the last week of July.

To date, just over half the state has been fully vaccinated. Monday’s dashboard data showed 56.7% of Arizonans eligible for a shot (ages 5 and up, 93.9% of the state population) and 53.2% of all state residents as having received at least two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or the single-jab Johnson & Johnson version.

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. 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.

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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