Arizona reports 3,808 new COVID-19 cases, another 72 deaths

Clock is ticking for Army veteran in Arizona in need of ECMO machine as he battles COVID-19

According to family members, 35-year-old Brian Yazzie only has a few more days left before his window of opportunity for ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) treatment runs out. This comes as hospitals in the Phoenix area say their ECMO machines are at capacity. FOX 10's Nicole Garcia reports.

PHOENIX - Arizona health officials are reporting 3,808 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 72 additional deaths.

The state coronavirus dashboard’s latest figures released on Dec. 24 bring the pandemic totals to 1,351,213 cases and 23,913 deaths.

There were 2,440 patients hospitalized due to the virus as of Thursday.

Officials with Arizona’s largest hospital systems have voiced fears that staff will have to ration care at some point, especially with the more transmissible omicron variant running rampant nationwide.

Meanwhile, Gov. Doug Ducey released a video public service announcement on YouTube Thursday urging people to get vaccinated and boosted. The governor continues to push vaccinations while some entities, like Pima County, are leaning on mask mandates.

Arizona’s seven-day rolling average of daily COVID-19 deaths has bobbed up and down the past two weeks, from 78.6 on Dec. 10 to 71 on Thursday. Meanwhile, the state’s rolling average of daily new virus cases dropped from 3,856 to 2,883.7 during the same period, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

MORE: Coronavirus in Arizona: Latest case numbers

In order to protect yourself from a possible infection, the CDC recommends:

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.
Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
Monitor your health daily

Symptoms for coronavirus COVID-19 include fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. These, of course, are similar to the common cold and flu.

Expect a common cold to start out with a sore or scratchy throat, cough, runny and/or stuffy nose. Flu symptoms are more intense and usually come on suddenly, and can include a high fever.

Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear more slowly. They usually include fever, a dry cough and noticeable shortness of breath, according to the World Health Organization. A minority of cases develop pneumonia, and the disease is especially worrisome for the elderly and those with other medical problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes or heart conditions.

To protect yourself, wash your hands well and often, keep them away from your face, and avoid crowds and standing close to people.

And if you do find yourself showing any of these flu or coronavirus symptoms - don't go straight to your doctor's office. That just risks making more people sick, officials urge. Call ahead, and ask if you need to be seen and where.