Arizona reports 656 new COVID-19 cases, 7 additional deaths Wednesday

PHOENIX – Arizona public health officials on Wednesday reported 656 new coronavirus cases and seven additional deaths from COVID-19.

The latest documented totals were 878,338 COVID-19 infections and 17,576 fatalities, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services’ COVID-19 dashboard.

The dashboard also showed that 5,798,330 vaccine doses have been administered in the state, with 3,277,630 people (45.6% of the state’s population) having received at least one shot and 2,751,511 people fully vaccinated.

Hospitalizations related to COVID-19, which have been fluctuating by relatively small amounts on a daily basis, are near the lowest levels of the pandemic.

The number of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 inpatients in the state’s hospitals declined by six overnight to 545 on Tuesday. The number of ICU beds used by COVID-19 patients increased by seven to 151.

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.

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