The number of coronavirus cases and deaths in Arizona continues to rise.
In an effort to track the changes, 12 News has started a daily live blog.
Here is the live blog for Wednesday, June 24.
Major updates:
- There have been 59,974 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Arizona and 1,463 coronavirus-related deaths, as of Wednesday morning.
- The state does not record how many people have recovered.
- Gov. Doug Ducey allowed cities to set own mask requirements
- 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 59,974 people with confirmed cases of coronavirus in Arizona and 1,463 coronavirus-related deaths as of Wednesday, according to the state's latest numbers.
That's up from 58,179 cases and and 1,384 coronavirus-related deaths reported as of Tuesday.
A week ago, there were 40,924 cases and 1,239 deaths reported in Arizona.
Record-high deaths reported on Wednesday
The Arizona Department of Health Services reported a record-high 79 deaths on Wednesday.
However, that does not mean that all of those deaths occurred on the same day. That is just the number of deaths that were reported on Wednesday.
The department said 53 of the 79 deaths reported Wednesday were from death certificate matching.
According to the department, the highest single-day death toll appears to be on May 7, when there were 27 deaths. That information is subject to change.
You can find more information on deaths and when they occurred here.
Only 12% of ICU beds available, officials say
The Arizona Department of Health Services reported that only 12% of adult intensive care unit beds across the state were available as of Tuesday.
There were 1,472 ICU beds in use as of Tuesday, officials said.
There were only 14% of inpatient beds available as of Tuesday, and 44% of ventilators available as of Tuesday.
Record-high cases reported on Tuesday
The Arizona Department of Health Services reported 3,591 new cases on Tuesday, breaking yet another record.
Tuesday's record broke a previous record set last Friday, when there were 3,246 new cases reported.
Friday's record broke a previous record set just last Thursday, with 2,519 new cases reported Thursday.
And Thursday's record broke a previous record set just last Tuesday, with 2,392 new coronavirus cases reported.
Arizonans traveling to New York, New Jersey or Connecticut to quarantine
New York, Connecticut and New Jersey will require visitors from states with high infection rates to quarantine for 14 days, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday.
Visitors from states over a set infection rate of 10% will have to quarantine, Cuomo said.
As of Wednesday, states over the threshold were Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, Utah and Texas.
CVS expands drive-thru testing sites in Arizona
CVS Health announced Wednesday that it has opened 15 more drive-thru test sites across Arizona. They will open Friday.
Anyone meeting CDC criteria for testing will get a self-swab test. They must register in advance at CVS.com.
They will be required to stay in their cars and will be directed to the pharmacy drive-thru window or a location in the parking lot, where they will be provided with a test kit and given instructions.
A CVS Pharmacy team member will observe the self-swab process to ensure it is done properly.
Tests will be sent to an independent, third-party lab for processing, and the results will be available in approximately three days.
A complete list of CVS Pharmacy drive-thru test sites can be found here.
Navajo Nation cases increase by 43, one new death
The Navajo Department of Health reported 43 new COVID-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation and one new death.
The total number of COVID-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation is 7,088.
The total number of deaths is 336 as of Tuesday.
Reports from 11 health care facilities on and near the Navajo Nation indicate that approximately 3,754 individuals recovered from COVID-19.
More than 50,000 people have been tested for COVID-19.
Navajo Nation honoring police officer who died from COVID-19
All flags on the Navajo Nation will be flown at half-staff through Thursday to honor the first officer on the tribal police force to die from the coronavirus in the line of duty.
Officer Michael Lee died June 19 at a Phoenix hospital.
The 50-year-old Lee served 29 years with the tribal police department, beginning his law enforcement career as a recruit with the Navajo Police Academy in October 1990.
He worked his first seven years in Window Rock and the rest of his career in Chinle.
Tribal officials say Lee is survived by a wife and children.
Lee’s funeral is scheduled for Thursday at the Potter’s House Christian Center in Chinle.
The above article is from The Associated Press.
Arizona MVD reports delays due to absences during pandemic
The Arizona Motor Vehicle Division says it is having difficulty keeping up with routine business during the coronavirus pandemic and the agency is asking its customers for patience.
The MVD’s parent agency, the state Department of Transportation, said Tuesday the division’s customer service operations are experiencing delays as MVD faces employee absences due to illness and quarantine requirements.
Specific impacts cited by the agency include diminished call center operations that mean it can take calls over 30 minutes to reach a representative.
Also, the agency says some customers report that registration tabs take longer than expected to arrive in the mail.
The above article is from The Associated Press.
Masks now required in public
Gov. Doug Ducey allowed individual Arizona cities to create their own policies about face-covering requirements and enforcement on Wednesday.
A face covering has proven to be effective at limiting the spread of COVID-19, according to the CDC. The virus is primarily spread by in-person contact through sneezes and coughs.
Many cities, including Phoenix, have adopted their own mask requirement that is now in effect.
How to get tested for the coronavirus in Arizona
Are you looking to get tested for coronavirus in Arizona?
If you have reason to believe you have contracted coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, this is what you should do.
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 59,974 people with confirmed cases of coronavirus in Arizona and 1,463 coronavirus-related deaths as of Wednesday.
That's up from 58,179 cases and and 1,384 coronavirus-related deaths reported as of Tuesday.
That's an increase of 1,795 new cases reported on Wednesday, a decrease from the record-high 3,591 new cases reported on Tuesday.
There were 79 new deaths reported on Wednesday, a dramatic increase and record-high from the 42 new deaths reported on Tuesday.
In total, 10,052 new tests were reported on Wednesday, a decrease from the 21,206 new tests reported on Tuesday.
There have been a total of 599,806 PCR and Serology tests reported to the state as of Wednesday.
8.7% of those tests have been positive, an increase from the 8.6% on Tuesday.
Here's a county breakdown:
- Maricopa: 34,992
- Pima: 6,318
- Pinal: 2,778
- Coconino: 1,611
- Navajo: 3,248
- Apache: 2,194
- Mohave: 841
- La Paz: 289
- Yuma: 4,915
- Graham: 71
- Cochise: 441
- Santa Cruz: 1,538
- Yavapai: 521
- Gila: 201
- Greenlee: 16
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.
