Arizona reports over 3,100 COVID cases; hospitals crowded

UArizona researchers say 'it is not time to panic yet' over omicron variant

UArizona gave its final COVID-19 update of the year just as the new omicron variant is growing around the world. Researchers say this isn't a time to panic.

PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona on Wednesday reported over 3,100 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases as virus-related hospitalizations remained near the current surge’s peak.

The 3,163 additional cases and 43 deaths reported Wednesday by the Department of Health Services’ coronavirus dashboard raised the state’s pandemic totals to 1,272,943 cases and 22,350 deaths.

As of Tuesday, 2,661 virus patients occupied inpatient hospital beds, down slightly from the surge’s peak of 2,676 on Monday.

With many patients also hospitalized for reasons other than COVID-19, only 6% of inpatient beds statewide were available and not in use. That percentage is a pandemic low first reached in mid-November.

According to Johns Hopkins University data, Arizona’s seven-day rolling average of daily new cases dropped in the past two weeks, decreasing from 3,564.3 on Nov. 15 to 3,085.1 on Monday.

The rolling average of daily deaths stayed about the same during the same period, dropping from 35.7 to 35.

Coronavirus in Arizona: Latest case numbers

MAP: Arizona Coronavirus cases by zip code