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 Friday, Sept. 18.
Major updates:
- There have been 212,942 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 5,451 coronavirus-related deaths reported in Arizona as of Friday.
- 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 Friday
There have been 212,942 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 5,451 coronavirus-related deaths reported in Arizona, according to the state's latest numbers.
That is an increase from 211,660 cases and 5,409 coronavirus-related deaths reported as of Thursday.
A week ago, there were 207,523 cases and 5,288 deaths reported in Arizona.
LEER EN ESPANOL: Coronavirus en Arizona el 18 de septiembre: 1,281 casos nuevos y 42 decesos se reportan el viernes
1,281 new cases, 42 new deaths reported Friday
The Arizona Department of Health Services reported 1,281 new cases and 42 new deaths on Friday.
764 of those cases were from antigen tests that date back several months, state health officials said Friday.
Health officials said Thursday the state will add a "significantly higher number of cases" over the next couple days due to a "a result of advancements in testing, and includes recently classified positive antigen cases dating back over the previous several months."
Health officials said the labs "include a large upload of PCR tests from ASU through ELR, resulting in the highest number of labs reported to date."
"Most of the labs being reported today are PCR tests, but we are also expanding how we define cases to include anyone with a positive antigen test in the probable case category," an AZDHS tweet read.
In a statement, an Arizona State University spokesperson said Thursday it has been submitting its data to the state on a daily basis and regular schedule.
"Our understanding is that today’s ADHS reporting reflects test results that the department did not previously report, dating back to cases in July and August, the majority of which represent ASU’s public and partner testing sites," the spokesperson said in an email.
"Based on demographics of the cases reported as positive, it reflects a geography and age distribution representative of the entire county, not ASU students or employees."
Arizona reached 200,000 coronavirus cases on Aug. 27, 100,000 on July 6 and 50,000 cases on June 21. The state reached 5,000 coronavirus deaths 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 0.94 as of Wednesday, down from 0.97 on Tuesday.
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.
There were 5,505 cases reported on the collection date of June 29, the day with the most collected diagnoses so far. That is subject to change.
Health officials said the day with the highest number of reported deaths was July 17, when 97 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.
Arizona health officials urge Arizonans to get medical help when needed
The Arizona Department of Health Services said Thursday that Arizonans should continue seeking routine medical care.
The department also launched a public awareness campaign reminding Arizonans to look after their overall health and to call 911 and seek care during medical emergencies.
The department said through July 2020, nearly 1,800 more Arizonans suffered a cardiac arrest compared to 2018, with 10% fewer people transported to the hospital and 10% more people dying from heart attacks.
Taking action at the first sign of symptoms can dramatically improve the chances of recovery and could mean the difference between life and death.
If anyone is experiencing life-threatening symptoms of a stroke, such as sudden weakness, numbness, or confusion, or symptoms of a heart attack, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or nausea, call 911.
It is also not unusual for women to have additional symptoms, such as unexplained tiredness and vomiting.
CVS to open 10 new COVID-19 testing sites in Arizona
CVS Health announced Thursday that it plans to open 10 more COVID-19 testing sites in Arizona.
The no-charge test is available for people age 12 and over who meet Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria.
The tests are self-swab, but patients must register in advance at CVS.com to schedule an appointment.
A parent or legal guardian must complete the online registration for minors, and anyone between the ages of 12 and 15 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
Most test results will be available within two to three days.
A complete list of CVS Pharmacy drive-thru test sites can be found here.
Glendale center to reopen in October
The Foothills Recreation and Aquatics Center will begin a phased reopening on Oct. 1, the city announced Thursday.
Reservations will also resume for sports fields and additional library services will be added.
Navajo Nation cases increase by 19, one new death
The Navajo Department of Health reported 19 new COVID-19 positive cases for the Navajo Nation and one more death.
The total number of positive COVID-19 cases is now 10,083, which includes five additional positive COVID-19 cases that were previously unreported due to delayed reporting from health care facilities.
The total number of deaths is now 540 as of Thursday.
Reports indicate that 7,226 individuals have recovered from COVID-19 and 101,248 COVID-19 tests have been administered.
Fry's to hold flu shot clinic on Saturday
Fry’s Food Stores is hosting a flu shot clinic from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
It will be held at the Kiwanis Park Recreation Center in Tempe.
The flu shot clinics are open to the public and will offer free flu shots through most insurance plans.
Interested participants must register online to receive a flu shot at frysfood.com/flu.
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.
RELATED: Arizona’s health department wants you to report businesses that don’t enforce safety requirements
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 Friday
There have been 212,942 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 5,451 coronavirus-related deaths reported in Arizona.
That is an increase from 211,660 cases and 5,409 coronavirus-related deaths reported as of Thursday.
There were 1,281 new cases reported on Friday, a decrease from the 1,753 new cases reported on Thursday.
There were 42 deaths reported on Friday, an increase from the 38 new deaths reported Thursday.
There were 5,505 cases reported on the collection date of June 29, the day with the most collected diagnoses so far. That is subject to change.
Health officials said the day with the highest number of reported deaths was July 17, when 97 people died. That is subject to change.
In total, 8,906 new tests were reported on Friday, a decrease from the 24,856 new tests reported on Thursday.
There have been a total of 1,639,206 PCR and Serology tests reported to the state as of Friday.
10.8% of those tests have been positive as of Friday, the same as Thursday.
Here's a county breakdown:
- Maricopa: 139,245
- Pima: 24,313
- Pinal: 10,337
- Coconino: 3,738
- Navajo: 5,740
- Apache: 3,440
- Mohave: 3,886
- La Paz: 534
- Yuma: 12,498
- Graham: 787
- Cochise: 1,873
- Santa Cruz: 2,815
- Yavapai: 2,457
- Gila: 1,217
- Greenlee: 58
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.
