PHOENIX — In an effort to track the changes with the coronavirus outbreak in Arizona, 12 News has started a daily live blog.
Here is the live blog for Monday, Dec. 28.
Major updates:
- There have been 504,423 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 8,469 coronavirus-related deaths reported in Arizona as of Monday.
- The state does not record how many people have recovered, but Johns Hopkins University estimates the number of people who have recovered.
- You can find COVID-19 testing sites here.
- Go to 12News.com/Vaccine to find more information on the COVID-19 vaccines.
- Scroll down to see how many cases are in each ZIP code and additional information.
10,086 new cases, 42 new deaths reported Monday
The Arizona Department of Health Services reported 10,086 new cases and 42 new deaths on Monday.
AZDHS says the new case count is higher than usual because of the holiday weekend and multiple COVID-19 case reviews were completed Sunday.
There were 6,106 new cases and 15 new deaths reported on Saturday.
The department did not say that death certificate matching accounted for the high death numbers.
It was the second-highest day for reported deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. The highest was 172 deaths reported on July 30.
Maricopa County health officials said they have given out 8,175 COVID-19 vaccines as of Tuesday.
Arizona’s cases, deaths and hospitalizations were already steadily rising before Thanksgiving, when gatherings and travel were expected to further spread the coronavirus.
The department reports the number of new cases on the day the cases were reported to them by counties and hospitals, not on the day when someone was diagnosed with the virus.
Arizona reached 400,000 coronavirus cases on Dec. 12, 300,000 on Nov. 23, 200,000 on Aug. 27, 100,000 on July 6 and 50,000 cases on June 21. The state reached 8,000 coronavirus deaths on Dec. 22, 7,000 on Dec. 9, 6,000 on Nov. 3, 5,000 on Aug. 29, 4,000 on Aug. 6, 3,000 deaths on July 23, 2,000 on July 9 and 1,000 on June 5.
Arizona's Rt, pronounced r-naught, was at 1.04 as of Sunday, down from 1.07 on Saturday.
The Rt is essentially a mathematical number that shows whether more people are becoming infected or less.
The concern is that any Rt over 1, no matter how small, means the virus may grow exponentially.
RELATED: Arizona researchers identify gene molecule that could explain the wide range of COVID-19 outcomes
There were 8,174 cases reported on the collection date of Dec. 14, the day with the most collected diagnoses so far. The day with the second-most collected diagnoses so far was on Nov. 30, with 7,838 cases. That is subject to change.
Health officials said the day with the highest number of reported deaths was July 17, when 103 people died. That is subject to change.
Health officials continued to stress that people should continue social distancing, wearing masks in public, and stay home when possible.
There were 8,174 cases reported on the collection date of Dec. 14, the day with the most collected diagnoses so far. The day with the second-most collected diagnoses so far was on Nov. 30, with 7,838 cases. That is subject to change.
Health officials said the day with the highest number of reported deaths was July 17, when 103 people died. That is subject to change.
Health officials continued to stress that people should continue social distancing, wearing masks in public, and stay home when possible.
Tempe announces facility, event changes due to rising cases
To help slow the spread of COVID-19, the city of Tempe announced changes to some city offerings going into effect next year. Here's a breakdown of the changes:
- Kiwanis Pool will remain closed until further notice and all lap swim and water fitness activities are canceled.
- The Kiwanis Tennis Center and Batting Range will remain open. Patrons will still access the tennis facility through the recreation center. Health and safety protocols are still expected to be followed at all times in both facilities.
- Tempe’s Westside Multigenerational Center will close beginning Jan. 4, according to a release from the city. The Boys and Girls Club has suspended services at that location and no other activities are taking place. COVID-19 saliva testing will continue every Tuesday at Cahill Senior Center.
Arizona health department sets up hotline to report businesses
The Arizona Department of Health Services has set up two ways for people to report local businesses that are not following COVID-19 guidelines.
People can report businesses through a hotline or through an online form:
- Submit a complaint online at www.azhealth.gov/complianceCOVID19
- Calling the COVID-19 Compliance Hotline at 1-844-410-2157
“There’s a role for the public as well: If you believe a business isn’t following these requirements, which were established for the safety of customers, employees, and the broader public, ADHS encourages you to share your concerns so local and state officials can follow up as needed,” AZDHS said in a statement.
The department partnered with Hanes to provide free face masks to Arizona’s most vulnerable populations.
Anyone who is part of a vulnerable population (including, but not limited to, individuals with medical conditions or individuals age 65 or older), a student (or parents on behalf of students), school staff member or who may not be able to purchase one is able to get a free mask.
Each other will provide five washable, reusable cloth face masks, one order per household.
The department hopes to give out two million cloth face masks.
Anyone with questions can visit the department's FAQs page or contact Hanes at 1-800-503-6698.
Navajo Nation releases new case numbers
The Navajo Department of Health reported 122 new cases and 10 new deaths today.
The death toll is now 777 since the beginning of the pandemic with 22,277 total cases.
The stay-at-home lockdown is continuing and the nation is re-implementing the 57-hour weekend lockdown.
Arizona releases ZIP code locations of coronavirus cases, other data
The Arizona Department of Health Services has released expanded data points regarding coronavirus cases in the state.
The AZDHS website now features the location of confirmed cases in Arizona by zip code.
You can see the current ZIP code map here and can find yours by clicking around or searching for your ZIP code in the top right of the map.
More information on coronavirus cases from Sunday
There have been 494,337 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 8,427 coronavirus-related deaths reported in Arizona.
That's an increase from the 493,041 confirmed cases and 8,424 coronavirus-related deaths reported on Saturday.
There were 1,296 new cases reported on Sunday, a decrease from the 6,106 new cases reported on Saturday.
There were 3 new deaths reported on Sunday, a decrease from 15 new deaths reported on Saturday.
There were 8,174 cases reported on the collection date of Dec. 14, the day with the most collected diagnoses so far. The day with the second-most collected diagnoses so far was on Nov. 30, with 7,838 cases. That is subject to change.
Health officials said the day with the highest number of reported deaths was July 17, when 103 people died. That is subject to change.
In total, 12,134 new tests were reported on Sunday, an increase from the 23,745 new tests reported on Saturday.
There have been a total of 3,164,231 PCR and Serology tests reported to the state as of Sunday.
12.0% of those tests have been positive as of Sunday, an increase from the 11.9% positivity rate on Saturday.
Here's a breakdown of the number of cases in each county:
- Maricopa: 302,707
- Pima: 65,915
- Pinal: 26,242
- Coconino: 10,777
- Navajo: 10,886
- Apache: 7,192
- Mohave: 11,351
- La Paz: 1,327
- Yuma: 26,586
- Graham: 3,109
- Cochise: 7,052
- Santa Cruz: 5,779
- Yavapai: 10,740
- Gila: 4,295
- Greenlee: 379
Click on the links below to find more information from each county's health department:
COVID-19 is believed to be primarily spread through coughs or sneezes.
It may be possible for the virus to spread by touching a surface or object with the virus and then a person touching their mouth, nose or eyes, but this is not thought to be the main method of spread, the CDC says.
You should consult your doctor if you traveled to an area currently affected by COVID-19 and feel sick with fever, cough or difficulty breathing.
There is no vaccine for the coronavirus, so the best way to prevent COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases is to:
- Wear face coverings while in public.
- Practice social distancing while in public.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently-touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
You can text FACTS to 602-444-1212 to receive more information on the coronavirus and to ask questions.
