Arizona reports 540 new COVID-19 cases, 17 additional deaths Wednesday

PHOENIX – Arizona public health officials on Wednesday reported 540 new coronavirus cases and 17 additional deaths from COVID-19.

The latest documented totals were 874,605 COVID-19 infections and 17,497 fatalities, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services’ COVID-19 dashboard.

The dashboard also showed that 5,599,098 vaccine doses have been administered in the state, with 3,169,782 people (44.1% of the state’s population) having received at least one shot and 2,660,462 people fully vaccinated.

Since plummeting from January peaks, hospitalizations related to COVID-19 have remained relatively stable over the last two months, with daily fluctuations up and down.

The number of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 inpatients in the state’s hospitals increased by 29 overnight to 607 on Tuesday, surpassing 600 for the first time since May 7. The number of ICU beds used by COVID-19 patients decreased by 17 to 176, the fewest since April 23.

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.

For details about statewide COVID-19 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.

The minimum age to receive the Pfizer shot has been reduced to 12, but it’s still 18 for the other approved versions, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.

Appointments may be required depending on the provider, but many, including state-run mass vaccination sites, accept walk-ins.

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.

Follow @KTAR923