(AP Photo)
This is a regularly updated story with the latest information on the coronavirus and its impact in Arizona and beyond for February 5, 2021.
PHOENIX – Arizona health officials reported 3,826 new cases of coronavirus and 196 additional deaths from COVID-19 on Friday.
According to the Arizona COVID-19 dashboard, the numbers drawn total moved to 775,622 infections and 13,948 deaths.
The virus remains widespread across the state, though the boom that made Arizona as the country’s hotspot last month is waning.
In Thursday’s update of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Arizona has fallen to number 4 on average per capita in the country over the past seven days, behind Texas, North Carolina and South Carolina. Arizona is fourth in deaths behind Alabama, South Carolina and Iowa.
COVID-19 hospitalizations are now lower than at the July peak of the state’s first wave, but cases and deaths are still higher.
The number of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 inpatients in Arizona dropped to 3,167 on Thursday, the lowest since December 8th. The number of ICU beds used by COVID-19 patients dropped to 909, the second lowest since December 21st.
Across the country, COVID-19 patients took up 37% of all indoor beds and 51% of all ICU beds on Thursday. Overall, the beds were within 90% of the capacity and the amounts for the ICU were 87%.
Arizona’s weekly percentage positivity for COVID-19 diagnostic tests, an indication of how much the virus is spreading in the community, is declining but remains at a significant level.
Of the 29,430 people tested so far this week, 14% got a positive result. The recorded positive rate for last week is 16% for 125,908 people tested, the lowest since before Thanksgiving and the fourth consecutive weekly decline.
Official positivity rates are based on when the samples are taken, not when they are reported, so the percentage for recent weeks may vary as laboratories are caught up in the test and the results are documented by the state.
According to the Associated Press, the Associated Press, the seven-day average for recent coronavirus cases is at 4,080.57 for Thursday, but still higher than the July high of the first wave.
The seven-day average of newly reported deaths remained the same as the previous day at 133.29.
The state’s daily updates provide current case, death, and testing data after the state receives and confirms statistics, which may be delayed by a few days or longer. It does not represent the actual activity during the last 24 hours.
The hospital data posted each morning is electronically reported the night before by 100 hospitals across the state, as required under executive order.
COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, has no effect on some people and is severely debilitating or deadly to others. Infected people without symptoms – which include coughing, fever and breathing problems – can spread the virus.
Diagnostic tests are available in hundreds of locations in Arizona and should be sought by someone with symptoms or who has been exposed to an infected person. Information on places, schedules and registration can be found on the website of the Department of Health Services.
The department also has a vaccination finder page with a map with locations and registration information.
Below are Friday’s latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic from across the state, country and world:
- The Senate approved a budget resolution early Friday that is an important step toward a rapid move by President Joe Biden’s $ 1.9 billion coronavirus relief plan, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the deciding vote.