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 Wednesday, Dec. 2:
Major updates:
- There have been 340,979 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 6,739 coronavirus-related deaths reported in Arizona as of Wednesday.
- 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.
- Scroll down to see how many cases are in each ZIP code and additional information.
COVID-19 cases reported in Arizona on Wednesday
There have been 340,979 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 6,739 coronavirus-related deaths reported in Arizona, according to the state's latest numbers.
That's an increase from the 337,139 confirmed cases and 6,687 coronavirus-related deaths reported on Tuesday.
A week ago, there were 310,850 cases and 6,524 deaths reported in Arizona.
LEER EN ESPANOL: Coronavirus en Arizona el 2 de diciembre: 3,840 contagios y 52 defunciones se reportan el miércoles
3,840 new cases, 52 new deaths reported Wednesday
The Arizona Department of Health Services reported 3,840 new cases and 52 new deaths on Wednesday.
The 10,322 new coronavirus cases reported on Tuesday were due to the delayed reporting of case numbers during the holiday weekend, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
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.
The Arizona Medical Association warned that the health care system could soon become overwhelmed.
COVID-19 hospitalizations reached 2,699 as of Tuesday. That's up more than 100 from Monday.
COVID-19 hospitalizations in Arizona peaked around 3,500 during the state's summer surge.
Health experts say holiday travel and gatherings are expected to add to new cases and hospitalizations over the next few weeks.
Arizona reached 300,000 coronavirus cases on Nov. 23, 200,000 on Aug. 27, 100,000 on July 6 and 50,000 cases on June 21. The state reached 6,000 coronavirus deaths 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 on Monday.
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: This is the number that health officials are watching closely in the fight against COVID-19 (And you should too)
There were 5,630 cases reported on the collection date of Nov. 23, the day with the most collected diagnoses so far. The day with the second-most collected diagnoses so far was on June 29, with 5,453 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.
Phoenix cancels upcoming sports tournaments amid COVID-19 outbreak
The Phoenix City Council voted 7-2 to cancel sporting events scheduled on city parks and fields due to rising coronavirus cases.
Reservations for youth sporting tournaments will be canceled starting Thursday, December 3, and will carry on through at least through February 2021.
The fields won’t be used until the city reports COVID-19 cases returning to "Moderate" spread levels last seen on September 6.
The decision affects 30 tournaments affected with 3,984 teams no longer able to participate in the city.
Park playgrounds and grass areas will still be open for use.
Tempe to offer free COVID-19 tests on Wednesday and Thursday
The city of Tempe will offer free COVID-19 tests on Wednesday and Thursday.
The saliva tests will be offered at Westside Multigenerational Center at 715 W. Fifth Street.
Officials want to make sure everyone is getting tested, even if you have been tested before and even if that test came back negative. Because you may still not be in the clear.
"The City of Tempe is committed to providing free COVID-19 testing to residents, workforce and anyone who needs it in a timely manner," Mayor Corey Woods said in a statement.
"We believe that testing is imperative to keep the virus from spreading and to ensure people get medical help they may need."
City of Tempe’s Deputy Fire Chief Nick Ells said this is important not only to protect you and your loved ones, but medical resources as well.
“On the front lines our crews are still facing it everyday,” he explained.
“It’s something that hasn’t gone away. Our call volume is through the roof with COVID-type patients.”
Woods, who had COVID-19 and was tested again on Wednesday, notes these safety precautions are even more important because COVID-19 carriers can be asymptomatic.
“I had symptoms where I had a one-day fever, two days of body aches, lost my sense of taste and smell for two to three weeks," Woods said.
"I know other people who felt like they had a cold or a mild sinus infection. And then there was some people who test positive, and don’t feel anything."
Additional steps that should be taken: “Maintain social distancing, please wear a mask, wash your hands. If you are sick, stay home,” Ells said.
The city will also begin its Testing Tuesdays program on Dec. 8. Every Tuesday, ASU, the City of Tempe and Tempe Fire Medical Rescue will offer free COVID-19 saliva tests at the Cahill Senior Center, which is also located at 715 W. Fifth Street.
Those interested in a test should make a reservation at tempe.gov/testing.
Team 12's Matt Yurus has the latest.
Tucson to have 3-week nightly curfew to slow COVID-19 spread
At the urging of Mayor Regina Romero, the Tucson City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to establish a mandatory nightly curfew for three weeks in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The 10 p.m.-to-5 a.m. curfew will take effect Friday and run through Dec. 23.
Romero says she sought the curfew “for the safety and welfare and health of the citizens of Tucson.”
It prohibits residents from being on public streets or spaces unless traveling to work or other essential activities.
Romero says Pima County reported had a record-high 944 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, and hospitals in southern Arizona are on the verge of a crisis.
Earlier Tuesday, state health officials reported 10,322 new known coronavirus cases and 48 additional deaths around Arizona.
The above article is from The Associated Press.
Navajo Nation reports 104 new COVID-19 cases, 3 more deaths
The Navajo Nation is reporting 104 new COVID-19 cases and three additional deaths.
Tribal health officials also said Tuesday night that the Navajo Department of Health has identified 75 communities with uncontrolled spread of the coronavirus.
The Navajo Nation now has had 16,711 total cases since the pandemic began with 656 known deaths.
The vast reservation includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.
Tribal health officials say 160,369 people have been tested and 9,425 have recovered.
Residents remain under a stay-at-home order, with an exception for essential workers and essential needs like food, medication and emergencies.
The above article is from The Associated Press.
Yavapai College will stay in "Red Phase" of COVID-19 re-entry plan
Yavapai College announced that it will remain in the 'Red Phase' of their COVID-19 re-entry plan through the rest of the fall semester.
The red phase is the first of a five-step plan that the College decided on during the summer. The decision comes after rising case numbers that followed Thanksgiving.
Finals are set to end on Dec. 11 with virtual operations working until Dec. 18.
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.
Free masks available for some Arizonans
The Arizona Department of Health Services announced that some Arizonans would be able to get free masks from the state.
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.
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 Wednesday
There have been 340,979 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 6,739 coronavirus-related deaths reported in Arizona.
That's an increase from the 337,139 confirmed cases and 6,687 coronavirus-related deaths reported on Tuesday.
There were 3,840 new cases reported on Wednesday, a decrease from the 10,322 reported on Tuesday.
The high number of cases reported on Tuesday was due to delayed reporting over the holiday weekend, the Arizona Department of Health Services said.
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.
There were 52 new deaths reported on Wednesday, an increase from 48 reported on Tuesday.
There were 5,630 cases reported on the collection date of Nov. 23, the day with the most collected diagnoses so far. The day with the second-most collected diagnoses so far was on June 29, with 5,453 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, 16,936 new tests were reported on Wednesday, a decrease from the 18,822 new tests reported on Tuesday.
There have been a total of 2,654,075 PCR and Serology tests reported to the state as of Wednesday.
10.2% of those tests have been positive as of Wednesday, the same since Tuesday.
Here's a breakdown of the number of cases in each county:
- Maricopa: 215,386
- Pima: 41,313
- Pinal: 17,372
- Coconino: 7,644
- Navajo: 8,323
- Apache: 5,548
- Mohave: 6,608
- La Paz: 902
- Yuma: 18,518
- Graham: 2,256
- Cochise: 3,863
- Santa Cruz: 4,067
- Yavapai: 5,814
- Gila: 3,117
- Greenlee: 248
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.
