Arizona reports 6,299 COVID-19 cases after problem with data

Phoenix pediatricians getting ready to give kids ages 5 to 11 Pfizer vaccine

Upon the approval from both the FDA and CDC, Arizona children ages 5 to 11 will soon be able to receive Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine.

PHOENIX - Arizona on Oct. 27 reported nearly 6,300 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases, an usually high number that state officials said included some results previously delayed by a data-processing problem.

Because of the since-resolved problem that the Department of Health Services said occurred over the weekend, the state reported only 158 additional cases on Monday and 450 on Tuesday.

The number of deaths reported on both of those days also were lower than usual.

The additional 6,299 cases and 81 more deaths reported Wednesday increased the state’s pandemic totals to 1,156,731 cases and 21,044 deaths.

On most days this month, the state has reported at least 2,000 additional cases.

In announcing the data-processing problem, the Department of Health Services said Monday that results that day and Tuesday would be unusually low and that results reported Wednesday and Thursday would be unusually high once delayed results were included.

As of Tuesday, 1,730 COVID-19 patients occupied inpatient hospital beds, according to the dashboard.

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.