Arizona reports 233 new coronavirus cases, 2 additional deaths
Sep 21, 2020, 8:28 AM | Updated: Sep 22, 2020, 8:31 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 Monday, Sept. 21.
PHOENIX – Arizona health authorities reported 233 new coronavirus cases and two additional deaths on Monday morning.
That put the state’s documented totals at 214,251 COVID-19 infections and 5,478 deaths, 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 months.
The number of Arizona’s confirmed or suspected COVID-19 inpatients was at 472 on Sunday for the second consecutive day, the lowest seen since it was 338 on April 8, the first day AZDHS reported the data.
The number of COVID-19 patients in ICU beds was down to 119, tying the fewest ever recorded.
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 79% full on Sunday, 1 point lower than the previous day. The inpatient occupancy rate peaked at 88% on July 9-10.
The ICU occupancy rate was 77%, 2 points lower than the previous day. ICU occupancy rate 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.
Arizona’s weekly positive rate for COVID-19 diagnostic tests has been 4% for the past three weeks, with 47,956 from last week processed.
The positive rate had been as high as 20% at the end of June.
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.
As cases skyrocketed in June, local governments in many parts of Arizona — including all of Maricopa County — implemented face mask requirements, and Gov. Doug Ducey issued statewide executive orders to close certain businesses and restrict restaurant occupancy.
The spread of COVID-19 soon slowed and has been steadily falling since the peak of the pandemic. Much of the state has hit benchmarks established by the health department that allow certain businesses to reopen under capacity restrictions and other regulations.
As part of a bump caused by the addition of a recently authorized diagnostic testing process, the rolling seven-day average for newly reported cases increased to 786.57 on Sunday, according to tracking by The Associated Press, the highest since Aug. 20 but well below the July 6 peak of 3,844.
The seven-day average of newly reported deaths was 22 after declining for the second day in a row. The seven-day average for deaths reached a high of 94 on July 30.
COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel 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.
Below are Monday’s latest developments about the coronavirus pandemic from around the state, country and world:
- Arizona State University reported 260 active coronavirus cases among students and 3 active cases among faculty in Monday’s update. Those numbers continue to decline compared to previous updates.
- The Navajo Nation reported 11 new coronavirus cases and zero deaths, bringing the total to 10,131 infections and 548 deaths.
- The University of Arizona on Monday said it will only continue to only offer essential in-person classes through at least Oct. 2 despite a recent decline in coronavirus cases.
- The Arizona Department of Health Services said it issued a closure notice to the Antro Nightclub in Glendale for failing to enforce state physical distancing regulations. The club at Glendale and 43rd avenues also had its liquor license suspended.
- Globally, there were more than 31.1 million COVID-19 cases and 961,000 deaths as of Monday morning, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The figures for the U.S. were around 6.8 million cases and 199,000 deaths.