Arizona reports 939 new COVID-19 cases, 16 additional deaths Saturday
May 8, 2021, 8:42 AM | Updated: 8:44 am
(AP Photo/Alastair Grant, FILE)
PHOENIX – Arizona public health officials on Saturday reported 939 new coronavirus cases and 16 additional deaths from COVID-19, and the state has surpassed the 3 million mark for people getting at least one vaccine dose.
It was the second time since April 9 that more than 900 cases have been reported in a day.
The latest documented totals were 868,382 COVID-19 infections and 17,407 fatalities, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services’ COVID-19 dashboard.
The dashboard also showed that 5,269,181 vaccine doses have been administered in the state, with 3,018,728 people (42.0% of the state’s population) having received at least one shot and 2,441,315 people fully vaccinated.
The number of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 inpatients in the state’s hospitals decreased by 54 overnight to 612 on Friday. The number of ICU beds used by COVID-19 patients increased slightly from 182 to 184.
The state health department’s daily updates present case and death 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 numbers posted each morning are reported electronically the previous evening by hospitals across the state.
COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 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.
All adults across Arizona are eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines, with the minimum age at 16 for the Pfizer shot and 18 for other approved versions.
For details about statewide vaccine availability, the ADHS website has a vaccine-finder page showing locations and registration information.
For information about metro Phoenix vaccine availability, Maricopa County Public Health has a locator page that lists pharmacies, government-run sites, health clinics and pop-up distribution events.
Appointments may be required depending on the provider. Booking in advance is encouraged at the state-run mass vaccination sites, but walk-ins are accepted.
Spots at the state-run sites can be secured at https://podvaccine.azdhs.gov/ or by calling 844-542-8201. A new batch of appointments for the following week at those locations, which use the Pfizer vaccine, are released every Friday.