Arizona reports 1,184 new COVID-19 cases, 148 more deaths Tuesday
Feb 23, 2021, 8:22 AM | Updated: 9:22 pm
Anya Harris prepares a Moderna coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine at Red Hook Neighborhood Senior Center in the Red Hood neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough on February 22, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
(Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
This is a regularly updated story with the latest information about the coronavirus and its impact in Arizona and beyond for Feb. 23, 2021.
PHOENIX – Arizona officials on Tuesday reported 1,184 new coronavirus cases and 148 additional deaths from COVID-19.
The state’s documented totals were updated to 810,658 coronavirus infections and 15,650 fatalities, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services’ COVID-19 dashboard.
After spiking to record highs in the first part of January, case and hospitalization numbers have fallen to pre-Thanksgiving levels in Arizona.
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The number of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 inpatients in the state’s hospitals decreased to 1,515 on Monday, the fewest since Nov. 14. The number of ICU beds used by COVID-19 patients declined to 447, the fewest since Nov. 21.
Arizona’s weekly percent positivity for COVID-19 diagnostic testing, an indicator of how much the virus is spreading in the community, has been trending downward since the start of the year.
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Of the 79,594 people tested last week, 9% received a positive result, the same as the previous week and matching the lowest mark since 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 seven-day average for the state health department’s newly reported coronavirus cases has plateaued since late last week and was 1,552.29 for Monday, according to tracking by The Associated Press.
The seven-day average of newly reported deaths increased to 87.83 for Monday, one day after hitting the year’s low point of 75.29.
In Monday’s update from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Arizona was sixth in the nation for COVID-19 deaths per capita over the last seven days and 16th in cases. Arizona led the U.S. in both categories at times in January.
The Arizona health department’s daily updates 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 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.
Diagnostic testing is available at hundreds of locations across Arizona and should be sought out by anybody with symptoms or who may have been exposed to an infected person. Information about locations, schedules and registration can be found on the Department of Health Services website.
For information about statewide vaccine availability, the ADHS website has a vaccine-finder page with a map of locations and information about registration.
Below are Tuesday’s latest developments about the coronavirus pandemic from around the state, country and world:
- The Navajo Nation reported 20 new coronavirus cases and seven additional deaths, bringing the documented totals to 29,576 infections – including five delayed reported cases – and 1,152 fatalities.
- The Arizona Department of Health Services reported that 1,509,837 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the state, a day-to-day increase of 28,864, with 1,091,934 people having received at least one shot.
- Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey ordered flags be at half-staff across the state to honor those lost to COVID-19.
- Globally, there were about 111.83 million COVID-19 cases and 2.48 million deaths as of Tuesday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University research. The figures for the U.S. were around 28.19 million cases and 500,000 deaths.
