Arizona reports 5,817 new coronavirus cases, 147 more deaths
Dec 17, 2020, 8:29 AM | Updated: 6:16 pm
(Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
This is a regularly updated story with the latest information about the coronavirus and its impact in Arizona and beyond for Dec. 17, 2020.
PHOENIX – Arizona health officials on Thursday reported 5,817 new coronavirus cases and 147 additional deaths, while COVID-19 hospitalizations reached another new high mark and the vaccine rollout ramped up.
The new death report tied the second-highest single-day update of the pandemic. It was also the first time the state ever reported more than 100 coronavirus deaths on back-to-back days, following Wednesday’s 108.
The state’s documented totals increased to 435,036 COVID-19 infections and 7,677 fatalities, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Two metro Phoenix vaccine dispensing sites for health care workers were opening Thursday, and three more sites are set to launch next week. Vaccines aren’t expected to be available to most Arizonans until the spring or summer.
The vaccine rollout begins while multiple COVID-19 metrics in Arizona are at or approaching the highest they’ve ever been.
The number of Arizona’s confirmed or suspected COVID-19 hospital inpatients was up to 3,884 on Wednesday, the sixth consecutive record-setting day.
The number of Arizona’s confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients in ICU beds was 899 on Wednesday, the most since July 16 and closing in on the July 13 record of 970.
Statewide, a record-tying 45% of all inpatient beds and 51% of all ICU beds were filled Wednesday with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients.
Overall, inpatient beds were a record-breaking 93% filled and ICU beds were a record-tying 92% filled. The number or remaining inpatient beds (632) and ICU beds (140) were both at record low points for the pandemic.
Arizona’s weekly percent positivity for COVID-19 diagnostic testing, an indicator of how much the virus is spreading in the community, is approaching a record level.
Through 36,550 tests this week, the positivity rate was 20%.
The rate, which was 18% the previous two weeks, peaked at 21% at the end of June.
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 health department’s newly reported cases was 6,659.71 for Wednesday, according to tracking by The Associated Press, the second-highest ever.
The seven-day average of newly reported deaths has trailed the pace of cases but is surging this month. It was at 64.14 for Wednesday for the second straight day, more than doubling since Dec. 1 to the highest level since Aug. 5. The weekly death average peaked July 30 at 94.
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 electronically the previous evening by 100 hospitals across the state, as required under executive order.
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 Thursday’s latest developments about the coronavirus pandemic from around the state, country and world:
- The Navajo Nation reported 287 new coronavirus cases and one additional death, bringing the documented totals to 20,395 infections and 732 fatalities.
- Arizona State University on Thursday modified its academic calendar for the upcoming semester and canceled spring break citing coronavirus concerns.
- A government advisory panel endorsed a second COVID-19 vaccine from Moderna on Thursday, paving the way for the shot to be added to the U.S. vaccination campaign.
- A day after getting the COVID-19 vaccine, Dr. Cara Christ, Arizona’s health director, said the general public could get access to the shots by March.
- Over half of Arizona’s counties are now classified as having substantial spread of coronavirus as determined by the state health department’s COVID-19 dashboards for businesses and schools.
- Federal medical personnel are deploying to Navajo Nation health care facilities this week to provide relief for health care workers amid the coronavirus.
- The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose again last week to 885,000, the highest weekly total since September, as a resurgence of coronavirus cases threatens the economy’s recovery from its springtime collapse.
- Researchers at TGen in Phoenix have been studying microRNA to determine a person’s potential immunity and reaction to COVID-19.
- Maricopa County is set to begin vaccinations against the coronavirus, and health care workers are first in line.
- Globally, there were about 74.38 million COVID-19 cases and 1.65 million deaths as of Thursday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University research. The figures for the U.S. were around 16.98 million cases and 307,000 deaths.