x
Breaking News
More () »

Arizona has highest COVID-19 case rate in the country, data shows

Arizona's rate of 121.8 cases per 100,000 people over the last week is the highest rate in the country. The state is also the only one with a rate higher than 100.

PHOENIX — Arizona currently has the highest coronavirus case rate of anywhere in the United States. 

According to CDC data, Arizona is reporting 121.8 new cases over the last seven days per 100,000 people.

No other states currently have a case rate over the last seven days above 100. 

California is second with a rate of 97.1, followed by Tennessee (92.5) and South Carolina (90.9).

The Rt (rate of transmission) also rose to 1.11 as of Monday, according to Rt.live

An Rt above 1 means COVID-19 is spreading faster. An Rt below 1 means the spread is slowing.  

Credit: CDC

According to data from Johns Hopkins University, this is the second time during the pandemic that Arizona has had the highest case rate per 100,000 people over the past seven days. 

On July 7, Arizona was reporting 52.8 cases per 100,000 people over the past seven days, the highest rate in the country that day.

Credit: 91-DIVOC

Per the Arizona Department of Health Services, 62% of ICU beds are being used by COVID-19 patients in the state currently.

Banner Health, the largest health system in Arizona, halted elective surgeries on Jan. 1 and reported last week that some of its hospitals were diverting emergency transports and transfers to other hospitals due to an influx in patients. 

The Arizona Department of Health Services reported 5,932 new cases and 253 new deaths on Tuesday.

RELATED: Coronavirus in Arizona on Jan. 5: 5,932 new cases, record-high 253 new deaths reported Tuesday

It was the highest number of COVID-19 deaths reported on a single day in Arizona since the pandemic began, but the department said a majority of the deaths reported on Tuesday come from death certificate matching. 

The department said 90,880 Arizonans have received the COVID-19 vaccine as of Sunday. 

Last week, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey issued an executive order aimed at giving the state more control over vaccine distribution, rather than counties, due to the slow rollout of the vaccine in Arizona and around the country.

RELATED: 'Vaccines don’t do any good sitting in a freezer.' Ducey issues order to speed up vaccine distribution

Before You Leave, Check This Out