Arizona reports 1,760 new COVID-19 cases, no additional deaths Monday

PHOENIX – Arizona health officials on Monday reported 1,760 new COVID-19 cases, the fewest in a day this month, and no additional deaths from the disease.

It was the first daily update with fewer than 2,000 new cases since 1,123 on Sept. 28.

The latest documented totals are 1,120,361 infections and 20,382 fatalities, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services COVID-19 dashboard.

COVID-19 hospitalizations have plateaued recently after trending downward over the second half of September, with people who aren’t fully vaccinated accounting for nearly all of the serious illnesses and deaths.

The number of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 inpatients in the state’s hospitals Sunday was 1,755, down 20 from the previous day and more than 300 below the peak of the current wave.

The number of ICU beds used by COVID-19 patients was 472, down 12 from the previous day to the lowest level since Aug. 21.

The positivity rate for COVID-19 diagnostic testing conducted last week was at 12% for the third consecutive week as of Monday’s update.

The dashboard also showed that 4,266,787 people (59.4% of the state’s population, based on 7,189,020 residents) have received at least one dose of vaccine in Arizona and 3,776,883 people are fully vaccinated (52.5% of the population). The nationwide rates are 65.3% with at least one dose and 56.4% 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 serious illness and death from COVID-19, including the predominant and more contagious delta variant.

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.

The minimum age to receive the Pfizer shot is 12, and it’s 18 for the other available 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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