Arizona reports 3,434 new coronavirus cases, adds 28 deaths

Nov 10, 2020, 8:25 AM | Updated: 7:42 pm

This is a regularly updated story with the latest information about the coronavirus and its impact in Arizona and beyond for Tuesday, Nov. 10.

PHOENIX – Arizona health authorities on Tuesday reported 3,434 new coronavirus cases, the most in a day since July 25, with 28 additional deaths.

That put Arizona’s documented totals at 263,133 COVID-19 infections and 6,192 fatalities, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Key pandemic metrics have been rising in Arizona at a rate not seen since the first wave hit in June and July. Cases have been surging since the beginning of October, and deaths started on the same course about three weeks later.

The number of Arizona’s confirmed or suspected COVID-19 hospital inpatients increased overnight to 1,289 on Monday. That’s 120% higher than Oct. 1, when it was 586, and the most since Aug. 13.

The number of COVID-19 patients in ICU beds increased to 294 on Monday, 135% above the Oct. 1 mark of 125 and the most since Aug. 26.

The hospitalizations remain far under the pandemic highs of 3,517 inpatients and 970 ICU patients, both recorded July 13.

Arizona’s weekly percent positivity for COVID-19 diagnostic testing, an indicator of how much the virus is spreading in the community, has reached its highest level in three months.

The weekly rate was at 9% for 103,593 tests recorded from last week, the highest since it was 10% for the week starting July 26.

The weekly rate was at its highest at the end of June at 20%.

Official positivity 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 rolling seven-day average for the state health department’s newly reported cases was at 1,651.43 for Monday, according to tracking by The Associated Press, 244% higher than the Oct. 1 mark of 480 and the second highest since Aug. 6.

The seven-day average of newly reported deaths was 26 for Monday, the second-highest mark since Sept. 9 and about four times above what it was two weeks earlier.

The seven-day averages remain well below their peaks of 3,844 cases on July 6 and 94 fatalities on July 30.

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 hospitalization data posted each morning 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 slowed after those steps were taken. All of Arizona’s counties have since hit benchmarks established by the health department that allow closed businesses to reopen under capacity restrictions and other regulations.

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

The Navajo Nation reported 79 new coronavirus cases and one new deaths, bringing the documented totals to 12,720 infections and 595 fatalities.
Banner Health said Tuesday it is hiring more staff in preparation for an uptick in both COVID-19 and flu cases expected in the coming months.
Globally, there were more than 50.91 million COVID-19 cases and 1.26 million deaths as of Tuesday morning, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The figures for the U.S. were around 10.11 million cases and 238,000 deaths.

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