Arizona reports 2,984 new coronavirus cases, 10 additional deaths

Nov 17, 2020, 8:25 AM | Updated: 7:52 pm

(Getty Images)

This is a regularly updated story with the latest information about the coronavirus and its impact in Arizona and beyond for Tuesday, Nov. 17.

PHOENIX – Arizona health authorities on Tuesday reported 2,984 new coronavirus cases with 10 additional deaths.

That put the state’s documented totals at 279,896 COVID-19 infections and 6,312 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.

The number of Arizona’s confirmed or suspected COVID-19 hospital inpatients increased overnight to 1,624 on Monday. That’s 77% higher than Nov. 1, when it was 918, and the most since Aug. 8.

The number of COVID-19 inpatients peaked July 13 at 3,517 and fell afterward as low as 468 on Sept. 27.

The number of COVID-19 patients in ICU beds increased to 385 on Monday, 67% above the Nov. 1 mark of 231 and the most since Aug. 19.

The number of COVID-19 patients in ICU beds peaked July 13 at 970 and fell afterward as low as 114 on Sept. 22.

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 more than three months.

The positivity rate was 11% for the 105,074 tests given last week that were reported as of Tuesday, 2 points more than the previous week and the highest since it was 12% for the week starting July 19.

The weekly rate peaked at 20% at the end of June and was down to 4% as recently as early October.

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 2,459 for Monday, according to tracking by The Associated Press. That’s 85% higher than the Nov. 1 mark of 1,330 and the highest average since July 31.

The seven-day case average peaked July 6 at 3,844 and fell afterward as low as 373.14 on Sept. 12.

The seven-day average of newly reported deaths was 19.71 for Monday for the second consecutive day. It’s been trending lower over the last week but is 29% higher than Nov. 1, when it was 15.29, and triple the figure from one month earlier.

The seven-day death average peaked July 30 at 94 and fell afterward as low as 5.57 on Oct. 14.

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.

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 146 new coronavirus cases and two deaths, bringing the documented totals to 13,744 infections and 605 fatalities.
Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman believes that winter sports should be paused in schools in order to slow another spike of coronavirus cases in the state.
Two COVID-19 vaccines might be nearing the finish line, but scientists caution it’s critical that enough people volunteer to help finish studying other candidates in the U.S. and around the world.
The Arizona Department of Health Services served a closure notice to Il Capo Pizzeria in Scottsdale over alleged violations of the state’s COVID-19 mitigation mandates.
The Arizona Education Association launched a petition urging Gov. Doug Ducey enact a coronavirus safety plan specifically for schools
Arizona educators are asking Gov. Doug Ducey to implement a transparent statewide plan to keep students and teachers safe as coronavirus cases continue to rise.
Globally, there were more than 55.19 million COVID-19 cases and 1.33 million deaths as of Tuesday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University research. The figures for the U.S. were around 11.21 million cases and 247,000 deaths.