Arizona reports nearly 500 new coronavirus cases with 30 more deaths
May 14, 2020, 9:07 AM | Updated: 3:13 pm
PHOENIX — The Arizona health department reported 30 new deaths from the coronavirus on Thursday morning, with 498 additional cases.
It was the highest daily new case report of the week and the second consecutive day with at least 30 deaths.
The state has documented totals of 12,674 COVID-19 cases and 624 deaths.
Of the tests processed in the state for the virus (PCR testing) and for antibodies (serology testing), 6.3% have come back positive, a dip from 6.4% the previous day.
The Arizona Department of Health Services has been providing case and testing updates on its website each morning. The dashboard includes, among other information, details about deaths from COVID-19 and hospital capacity plus a ZIP code map of cases.
On Wednesday morning, the department reported totals of 12,176 cases and 594 deaths.
The daily reports present data after the state receives statistics and compiles them, which can lag by several days. They aren’t meant to represent the actual activity over the past 24 hours.
Citing a decrease in positive test result percentage, adequate hospital capacity and expanded testing numbers, Gov. Doug Ducey announced Tuesday afternoon that Arizona’s stay-at-home order, which has been in effect since March 31, would expire as scheduled at 11:59 p.m. Friday.
Almost all businesses deemed nonessential under the order can reopen starting Saturday if they follow physical distancing and enhanced sanitation guidelines established for their industry. Bars that don’t serve food, concerts, festivals and sporting events with fans are among the entities that must stay closed.
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 test won’t change a patient’s treatment plan.
Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 83,947 deaths from more than 1.38 million COVID-19 cases as of Thursday’s daily U.S. update.
According to data compiled and regularly updated by Johns Hopkins University, there were more than 4.4 million cases and 301,000 deaths globally as of Thursday afternoon.