Arizona percent positive for COVID-19 testing remains at record level

PHOENIX – Percent positivity for COVID-19 testing, a key indicator of how much the virus is spreading in the community, remains at a pandemic-high level in Arizona.

Until the highly contagious omicron variant hit, the state’s highest positive rate was 20% for the week of June 28-July 4, 2020.

But that mark has been surpassed each of the last four weeks, topped by a record 33% the last two weeks, according to data posted to the Arizona Department of Health Services COVID-19 dashboard on Monday morning.

The state’s positive rate is 11.8% for the entire pandemic and 15.2% over the last six months, according to the dashboard.

The rate is determined by dividing the number of positive results by the total number of tests completed.

ADHS tracks the weekly rate based on when samples are taken, not when they are reported. As a result, last week’s percentage is subject to change as more results come in.

The state data is largely based on electronic laboratory reporting and doesn’t include results from home test kits that weren’t reported to health care providers.

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

---

Here’s the latest data on the pandemic in Arizona (hospital, case, death, testing and vaccination statistics are based on Monday morning’s update of the Arizona Department of Health Services COVID-19 dashboard; seven-day averages are based on tracking by The New York Times):

COVID-19 cases

• Documented pandemic total – 1,767,302
• Daily new reports – Monday: 14,750; One day earlier: 22,922; One week earlier: 12,066; Pandemic high: 27,681 (Jan. 22, 2022)
• Seven-day average – Sunday: 20,394; One day earlier: 20,211; One week earlier: 18,901; Pandemic high: 20,394 (Jan. 23, 2022)

COVID-19 deaths

• Documented pandemic total – 25,624
• Daily new reports – Monday: 1; One day earlier: 66; One week earlier: 1; Pandemic high: 335 (Jan. 12, 2021)
• Seven-day average – Sunday: 59; One day earlier: 55; One week earlier: 63; Pandemic high: 175 (Jan. 13, 2021)

COVID-19 hospitalizations

• COVID inpatients – Sunday: 3,432; One day earlier: 3,392; One week earlier: 3,147; Pandemic high: 5,082 (Jan. 11, 2021)
• COVID ICU patients – Sunday: 613; One day earlier: 601; One week earlier: 616; Pandemic high: 1,183 (Jan. 11, 2021)

Statewide hospital capacity

• Inpatients beds available – Sunday: 504 (6% of capacity); One day earlier: 522 (6%); One week earlier: 496 (6%)
• Percentage of inpatient beds with COVID patients – Sunday: 39%; One day earlier: 39%; One week earlier: 36%
• ICU beds available – Sunday: 128 (8% of capacity); One day earlier: 121 (7%); One week earlier: 95 (6%)
• Percentage of ICU beds with COVID patients – Sunday: 37%; One day earlier: 37%; One week earlier: 37%

Laboratory diagnostic testing

• Weekly percent positivity – Samples taken this week: 0% (Note: only two tests reported so far); Last week: 33%; Two weeks ago: 33%; Pandemic high (for a completed week): 33% (Jan. 9-15 and Jan. 16-22, 2022)
• Find a testing site: ADHS (statewide)

Vaccines

• Percentage of eligible Arizonans fully vaccinated – As of Monday: 59.8%; One day earlier: 59.8%
• Percentage of eligible Arizonans with at least one shot – As of Monday: 72.3%; One day earlier: 72.2%
• Find a vaccine site: ADHS (statewide); Maricopa County Public Health (metro Phoenix)

Additional details

The ADHS daily case and death updates can cover multiple days of reporting because of data processing procedures and aren’t meant to represent the actual activity over the previous 24 hours. The hospitalization numbers posted each morning are reported electronically the previous evening by hospitals across the state.

The actual caseload is likely higher than officially reported because ADHS data is based mainly on electronic laboratory reporting and doesn’t include results from home kits unless individuals report them to their health care providers.

Vaccines have proven to reduce the likelihood of a COVID infection causing serious illness or death, even with the highly contagious omicron variant.

The minimum age for vaccination is 5 for Pfizer and 18 for Moderna or Johnson & Johnson. Boosters are approved, and highly encouraged, for individuals who received their second Pfizer (ages 12 and up only) or Moderna doses at least five months ago or the Johnson & Johnson shot at least two months ago.

Follow @KTAR923