ARIZONA, USA — Arizona saw multiple record-breaking COVID-19 metrics during December, according to data from the Arizona Department of Health Services.
The state had multiple COVID-19 death records broken in December, with the five highest amounts of average daily deaths all reported in the past month.
The highest 7-day average of COVID-19 cases was also seen last month. Dec. 28 is now the date with the most COVID-19 positive tests recorded at 10,709, far exceeding the original peak on June 29 at 5,474.
ICU bed use, inpatient bed use and ventilators also all saw new highs during December, which is visualized in the five graphs below.
The data was found on the Arizona Department of Health Services' coronavirus data dashboard.
The data in the five graphs below and more COVID-19 statistics can be seen on the department's website here.
91%: Increase in 7-day death average
The 7-day average number of deaths better demonstrates the increase in the number of people reportedly dying due to complications related to the virus compared to the daily number of deaths.
This average has seen a 91% increase since Dec. 7. The average has increased 460% since Oct. 1, when multiple COVID-19 metrics began to spike for the second time in Arizona.
The 7-day average reported on Dec. 22 at 100.43 is the highest 7-day death average the state has seen since the beginning of the pandemic.
46%: Increase in 7-day case average
The 7-day average number of cases better demonstrates the increase in the number of people reportedly testing positive for the virus compared to the daily number of cases.
This average has seen a 46% increase since Dec. 7. The average has increased 1,599% since Oct. 1, when multiple COVID-19 metrics began to spike for the second time in Arizona.
The 7-day average reported on Monday at 8,157.14 is the second-highest case average the state has ever seen, behind the 8,863.86 case average reported on Sunday.
45%: Increase in number of ICU beds in use by COVID-19 patients
ICU beds in use by COVID-19 patients in Arizona have also been rising, with a 45% increase since Dec. 7.
That number is 766% higher than the amount of ICU beds in use by COVID-19 patients at the beginning of October, around when cases began to spike again.
This number reported on Monday at 1,082 is the most amount of ICU beds being used by COVID-19 patients the state has ever seen.
ICU COVID-19 bed usage in the state is at 61%, while total ICU bed usage is at 93%.
47%: Increase in number of inpatient beds in use by COVID-19 patients'
Arizona inpatient beds in use by COVID-19 patients have seen a 47% increase in the past month.
For context, that number is 693% higher than the amount of beds in use by COVID-19 patients at the beginning of October.
This number reported on Jan. 3 at 4,647 is the highest number of inpatient beds in use by COVID-19 patients ever seen. Inpatient beds in use by COVID-19 patients is at 54% and total inpatient bed usage is at 92%.
29%: Increase in total ventilators in use
The total number of ventilators in use in Arizona, according to the ADHS website, has seen a 29% increase since Dec. 7.
That number is 193% higher than the numbers of ventilators in use at the beginning of October.
The number is the highest amount of Arizona's ventilators in use. The percent of the state's ventilators in use is at 58%.
Hospital-specific metrics showed a 59% ventilator-use increase, from 487 reported on Dec. 7 to 782 reported on Jan. 4.
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