Arizona reports 1,528 new COVID-19 cases, 26 additional deaths Saturday

PHOENIX – Arizona health officials on Saturday reported 1,528 new COVID-19 cases and 26 additional deaths from the disease.

It was the sixth consecutive day with at least 1,000 cases, the longest such streak since March 3-7.

The latest documented totals were 915,660 infections and 18,170 fatalities, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services COVID-19 dashboard.

Hospitalizations related to COVID-19 have been on the rise, with unvaccinated people accounting for almost all of the serious illnesses, according to health officials. The number of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 inpatients in the state’s hospitals decreased by 44 overnight to 866 on Friday, the third-most since March 8. The number of ICU beds used by COVID-19 patients increased by 18 to 256, the most since March 12.

The percent positivity for diagnostic testing conducted last week was 12% as of Friday’s update, the highest since early February. It was up to 13% so far for this week’s reports.

The dashboard also showed that 6,753,974 vaccine doses have been administered in the state, with 3,700,687 people (51.5% of the state’s population, based on 7,189,020 residents) having received at least one shot and 3,317,237 people fully vaccinated (46.1% of the population).

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.

Federally authorized vaccines are widely available and highly effective in stopping the transmission of COVID-19, including the more contagious delta variant that accounts for most of the new cases in the U.S.

For details about statewide vaccine availability, the ADHS website has a vaccine-finder page with locations and other 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, but many accept walk-ins.

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.

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.

Information about where to get tested for COVID-19 can be found on the ADHS website.

Follow @KTAR923