Arizona reports 3,546 new COVID-19 cases, 4 additional deaths Thursday

PHOENIX – Arizona health officials on Thursday reported 3,546 new COVID-19 cases, the most since Feb. 9, and four additional deaths from the disease.

The latest documented totals are 976,471 infections and 18,508 fatalities, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services COVID-19 dashboard.

Hospitalizations in the state related to COVID-19 have nearly tripled since the end of May, but deaths are down significantly from Arizona’s previous waves.

People who aren’t fully vaccinated now account for almost all of the serious illnesses and deaths.

The number of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 inpatients in the state’s hospitals increased by 78 overnight to 1,837 on Wednesday, the highest since Feb. 16.

The number of ICU beds used by COVID-19 patients went up by 24 to 432, the most since Feb. 22.

The dashboard also showed that 3,923,272 people (54.6% of the state’s population, based on 7,189,020 residents) have received at least one dose of vaccine in Arizona and 3,443,977 people are fully vaccinated (48% of the population). The nationwide rates are 60% with at least one dose and 51% fully vaccinated, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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.

Free federally authorized vaccines are widely available and highly effective in preventing illness from COVID-19, including the more contagious delta variant that now 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.

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