Arizona coronavirus cases exceed 6,500, death toll at 275

PHOENIX — With 246 new positive tests for coronavirus reported by the state health department on Sunday morning, Arizona has exceeded more than 6,500 confirmed cases.

The state now has 6,526 cases with two new deaths, bringing the death toll to 275.

There have been 64,811 tests given in Arizona, an increase of 2,303 since Saturday.

The Arizona Department of Health Services has been providing case and testing updates on its website each morning. The daily report includes details about deaths and hospital capacity plus a ZIP code map of cases. (Check your ZIP code in the chart below.)

The state reported 6,280 cases and 273 deaths, with 62,508 tests given, on Saturday morning.

The number of cases in Maricopa County, the state’s most-populous region, increased by 125 to 3,359 on Sunday, according to the state report.

The Phoenix-area death total increased by one to 122, according to the state.

Of the Arizonans who have died from COVID-19, 208 were age 65 or older. Forty deaths were age 55-64, 18 were 45-54 and nine were 20-44.

Testing for COVID-19 had been limited in Arizona because of supply shortages, but state health officials on Thursday revealed plans to expand availability.

With labs around the state having ramped up capacity, Health Director Dr. Cara Christ said in a blog post that COVID-19 testing criteria have been expanded to include anyone who believes they have been exposed to or potentially infected with the virus.

Previously, testing was prioritized for at-risk populations, people showing serious symptoms and health care workers.

Meanwhile, Arizona’s stay-at-home order, which went into effect March 31 and was designed to reduce the spread of coronavirus, is set to expire April 30.

Gov. Doug Ducey told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Broomhead Show on Thursday morning he has three options to weigh: let the order expire, extend it in its current form or modify it. He said he’ll announce a decision next week.

Coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

In most cases, a positive teoroanst won’t change a patient’s treatment plan.

According to data compiled and regularly updated by Johns Hopkins University, there were more than 2.9 million cases and over 200,000 deaths globally as of Sunday morning.

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