Employees at Roseland Community Hospital are unpacking a supply of supplies that the hospital will use to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine to its employees once they receive their first doses on December 16, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Olson / Getty Images)
This is a regularly updated story with the latest information about the coronavirus and its impact in Arizona and beyond for December 17, 2020.
PHOENIX – Health officials in Arizona reported 5,817 new coronavirus cases and 147 additional deaths on Thursday as COVID-19 hospital admissions peaked again and vaccine rollout accelerated.
The new death report linked the pandemic’s second-highest one-day update. It was also the first time the state has ever reported more than 100 deaths from the coronavirus on back-to-back days, after Wednesday’s 108.
The state’s documented totals rose to 435,036 COVID-19 infections and 7,677 fatalities, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Two metro locations in Phoenix providing vaccines for health workers opened Thursday and three more locations will be launched next week. Vaccines are not expected to be available to most Arizonans until spring or summer.
Vaccine rollout begins as multiple COVID-19 statistics in Arizona hit or approach all-time highs.
The number of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 hospital patients in Arizona was 3,884 on Wednesday, the sixth consecutive record day.
The number of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients in Arizona on ICU beds was 899 Wednesday, the highest number since July 16, nearing the July 13 record of 970.
Statewide, a record 45% of all hospital beds and 51% of all IC beds were filled Wednesday with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients.
In total, 93% of the hospital beds were filled and 92% of the IC beds was a record number. The number of remaining hospital beds (632) and IC beds (140) were both at record lows before the pandemic.
Arizona’s weekly rate of positivity for COVID-19 diagnostic tests, an indicator of how much the virus is spreading in the community, is nearing record levels.
Through 36,550 tests this week, the positivity rate was 20%.
The rate, which was 18% for the previous two weeks, peaked at 21% at the end of June.
Official positivity rates are based on when the samples are taken, not when they are reported, so the rate for the past few weeks may fluctuate as labs are testing and the results are documented by the state.
The seven-day moving average for the health department’s newly reported cases was 6,659.71 for Wednesday, the second-highest ever, according to tracking by The Associated Press.
The seven-day average of newly reported deaths is behind the rate of cases, but is increasing this month. It was 64.14 Wednesday for the second consecutive day, more than doubling since December 1 to its highest level since August 5. The weekly death average peaked at 94 on July 30.
The Arizona Health Department’s Daily Reports present case, death, and testing data after the state receives and confirms statistics, which may lag several days or more. They do not reflect actual activity for the past 24 hours.
The hospital admission 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 novel coronavirus, does not affect some people and is severely disabling or fatal to others. Infected people without symptoms – including but not limited to a cough, fever, and difficulty breathing – can spread the virus.
Information on test sites can be found on the website of the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Below are Thursday’s latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic from around the state, country and world:
- The number of Americans claiming unemployment benefits rose again last week to 885,000, the highest weekly total since September, as a resurgence in coronavirus cases threatens the recovery of the economy after the spring collapse.
- Researchers at TGen in Phoenix have studied microRNA to determine the potential immunity of and response to COVID-19.
- Maricopa County begins with coronavirus vaccinations and health workers are at the forefront.
- According to research from Johns Hopkins University, there were approximately 74.38 million COVID-19 cases worldwide and 1.65 million deaths on Thursday morning. The figures for the US were about 16.98 million cases and 307,000 deaths.