Number of COVID patients in Arizona ICU beds declines sharply
Feb 7, 2022, 9:32 AM | Updated: 9:41 am
PHOENIX – ICU use for COVID-19 patients in Arizona plummeted over the last week to levels not seen in nearly three months as the omicron wave continues to weaken.
Today’s #COVID19 dashboard update adds 4,416 cases and no deaths. A COVID-19 vaccine booster dose is recommended for everyone ages 12 and older. Vaccines help protect you and your family, and also slow the spread of COVID-19 in the community. More: https://t.co/q2kfD0sU6i pic.twitter.com/zgat4UG539
— AZ Dept of Health (@AZDHS) February 7, 2022
According to Monday’s update of the Arizona Department of Health Services pandemic dashboard, 565 COVID patients were in ICU beds as of Sunday, the fewest since Nov. 14. COVID ICU use declined by 13% in a span of six days since Jan. 31.
The ICU trend is following declines already seen in the levels of hospital inpatients with COVID and newly reported cases.
The number of COVID inpatients was down to 2,755 on Sunday, the fewest since Jan. 8 and 23% below the Jan. 27 omicron wave peak.
The seven-day average for newly reported cases dropped below 10,000 over the weekend for the first time since Jan. 7, and Monday’s batch of 4,416 cases was the smallest since Jan 2.
Dr. Richard Carmona, the former U.S. surgeon general who was hired as the state’s top pandemic adviser, said last week that people shouldn’t get complacent as trends improve.
“The important thing is that we don’t want people to let their guard down,” Carmona told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show on Thursday. “They should still be getting vaccinated, washing their hands, masking where appropriate.”
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 – 1,922,450
- Daily new reports – Monday: 4,416; One day earlier: 6,379; One week earlier: 13,473; Pandemic high: 27,681 (Jan. 22, 2022)
- Seven-day average – Sunday: 8,521; One day earlier: 9,535; One week earlier: 15,119; Pandemic high: 20,778 (Jan. 24, 2022)
COVID-19 deaths
- Documented pandemic total – 26,639
- Daily new reports – Monday: 0; One day earlier: 11; One week earlier: 0; Pandemic high: 335 (Jan. 12, 2021)
- Seven-day average – Sunday: 65; One day earlier: 90; One week earlier: 83; Pandemic high: 175 (Jan. 13, 2021)
COVID-19 hospitalizations
- COVID inpatients – Sunday: 2,755; One day earlier: 2,812; One week earlier: 3,348; Pandemic high: 5,082 (Jan. 11, 2021)
- COVID ICU patients – Sunday: 565; One day earlier: 585; One week earlier: 648; Pandemic high: 1,183 (Jan. 11, 2021)
Statewide hospital capacity
- Inpatients beds available – Sunday: 599 (7% of capacity); One day earlier: 566 (6%); One week earlier: 456 (5%)
- Percentage of inpatient beds with COVID patients – Sunday: 32%; One day earlier: 32%; One week earlier: 38%
- ICU beds available – Sunday: 147 (9% of capacity); One day earlier: 129 (8%); One week earlier: 103 (6%)
- Percentage of ICU beds with COVID patients – Sunday: 34%; One day earlier: 36%; One week earlier: 39%
Laboratory diagnostic testing
- Weekly percent positivity – Samples taken this week (only 245 samples as of Monday’s report): 10%; Last week: 23%; Two weeks ago: 29%; Pandemic high (for a full week): 34% (Jan. 16-22, 2022)
- Find a testing site: ADHS (statewide)
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. Booster shots provide additional protection and are approved 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.
The minimum age for vaccination is 5 for Pfizer and 18 for Moderna or Johnson & Johnson.