Arizona reports 3,840 new coronavirus cases, 52 additional deaths
Dec 2, 2020, 8:27 AM | Updated: 7:36 pm
A mother holds her daughter while a Red Cross volunteer administers a Covid-19 rapid test at a screening clinic during the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic on December 2, 2020, in Hildburghausen, Germany. (Photo by Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images)
(Photo by Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images)
This is a regularly updated story with the latest information about the coronavirus and its impact in Arizona and beyond for Dec. 2, 2020.
PHOENIX – Arizona health authorities on Wednesday reported 3,840 new coronavirus cases with 52 additional deaths.
That put the state’s documented totals at 340,979 COVID-19 infections and 6,739 fatalities, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Overall, key pandemic metrics have been rising in Arizona at rates not seen since the first wave hit in June and July. Cases have been surging since the beginning of October and reached record levels last week.
The number of Arizona’s confirmed or suspected COVID-19 hospital inpatients was 2,699 on Tuesday, a 22% increase in the last week and the most since July 24.
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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 was 642 on Tuesday, a 21% increase in the last week and the most since Aug. 1.
The number of COVID-19 patients in ICU beds peaked July 13 at 970 and fell afterward as low as 114 on Sept. 22.
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Statewide, 31% of all inpatient beds and 37% of all ICU beds were filled with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients on Tuesday, levels last seen in late July and early August. Overall, inpatient beds were 87% filled and ICU beds were 90% filled.
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 nearly five months.
The positivity rate is 18% for the 13,123 tests reported so far this week, which would be the highest since it was 19% for the week starting July 5.
The positivity rate is 15% for 132,096 tests reported last week.
The weekly rate peaked at 21% 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 bounced to a record 4,324.43 after a record report of more than 10,000 cases Tuesday, according to tracking by The Associated Press.
The seven-day case average had fallen after the summer wave as low as 373.14 on Sept. 12.
The seven-day average of newly reported deaths is relatively stable compared to the case counts and was at 24.57 for Tuesday.
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.
Information about testing locations can be found on the Arizona Department of Health Services website.
Below are Wednesday’s latest developments about the coronavirus pandemic from around the state, country and world:
- The Navajo Nation reported 310 new coronavirus cases and two additional deaths, bringing the documented totals to 17,035 infections and 658 fatalities.
- Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey issued an executive order at a press conference Wednesday to ensure the coronavirus vaccine will be free to anyone who wants one when it becomes available later this month.
- Gov. Doug Ducey issued an executive order at a press conference Wednesday aimed at curbing the spread of coronavirus at large public gatherings in the state.
- Gov. Doug Ducey allocated an additional $60 million on Wednesday to provide additional staffing at Arizona hospitals as coronavirus cases continue to rise in the state.
- Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed an executive order Wednesday that allows restaurants to expand their outdoor dining space in an effort to slow the coronavirus spread.
- British officials authorized a COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, greenlighting the world’s first shot against the virus that’s backed by rigorous science and taking a major step toward eventually ending the pandemic.
- Globally, there were more than 64.03 million COVID-19 cases and 1.48 million deaths as of Wednesday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University research. The figures for the U.S. were around 13.73 million cases and 270,000 deaths.
