Arizona reports 723 new coronavirus cases, 50 additional deaths

Aug 20, 2020, 8:25 AM | Updated: Aug 21, 2020, 7:53 am

This is a regularly updated story with the latest information, news and updates about the coronavirus and its impact in Arizona and beyond for Thursday, Aug. 20.

PHOENIX – Arizona health authorities reported 723 new coronavirus cases and 50 more deaths on Thursday morning.

That put the state’s documented totals at 196,280 COVID-19 infections and 4,684 fatalities, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

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

The rolling seven-day average for newly reported cases declined Wednesday to 873.43, the lowest seen since June 5, according to tracking by The Associated Press.

The seven-day average of newly reported deaths dipped to 41, the lowest mark since July 9.

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 businesses such as bars and gyms and to 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, is leveling off after declining for six consecutive weeks.

For the 12,109 samples taken since Sunday that have been processed and recorded, the positive rate is 6%. That’s the same as last week, which was the lowest rate since May 17.

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 their lowest points since early June.

The number of Arizona’s confirmed or suspected COVID-19 inpatients fell to 1,070 on Wednesday, the fewest since June 1.

The number of COVID-19 patients in ICU beds dipped to 388, the fewest since June 4.

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 Wednesday, 1 point higher than the previous day. The inpatient occupancy rate peaked at 88% on July 9-10.

The ICU occupancy rate was 78%, a 2-point drop from the previous day. It topped out at 91% on July 7.

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

The Arizona Exposition and State Fair Board voted to cancel the 2020 version of the fair because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey asked Arizonans to continue with mitigation strategies that have helped decrease coronavirus case metrics across the state in past weeks.
Based on the latest county COVID-19 benchmark data, metro Phoenix businesses forced to close under state order are on track to start reopening en masse in one week.
Maricopa County met two of three coronavirus benchmarks recommended for safely starting in-person learning for a third straight week.
The number of laid-off workers seeking U.S. unemployment benefits rose to 1.1 million last week after two weeks of declines, evidence that many employers are still slashing jobs as the coronavirus bedevils the U.S. economy.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Arizona State University began the fall semester with an increase in student enrollment and a multitude of public health precautions.
Even if they’re not offering in-person classes, public schools in Arizona must provide on-site support services for students, though some have been exempted.
Maricopa County has given out $993,000 in rental assistance to residents enduring financial struggles due to the coronavirus pandemic — a small fraction of funds still available from the federal coronavirus relief bill.
There were more than 22.4 million coronavirus cases and 788,000 deaths reported globally as of Thursday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University. For the U.S., there were more than 5.5 million cases and 173,000 deaths.