Arizona tops COVID-19 marks of 10,000 deaths, 600,000 cases

Vaccine rollout moves into new phase next week

Parts of Arizona will start vaccinating people in the 1B group of COVID-19 vaccination, as a massive vaccination campaign aimed at ending the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona, a national COVID-19 hot spot, passed the grim milestones of 10,000 deaths and 600,000 known cases on Jan. 9.

The Department of Health Services reported 11,094 additional cases and 98 deaths, increasing the pandemic totals to 607,345 cases and 10,036 deaths.

Arizona was tied with Rhode Island for the worst COVID-19 diagnosis rate in the country, with 1 person in every 109 diagnosed with the disease between Jan. 1 and Jan. 8.

The diagnosis rate is a state’s population divided by the number of new cases over the past week.

Saturday was the second straight day that Arizona reported more than 11,000 additional cases.

Coronavirus in Arizona: Latest case numbers

The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick.

The state’s seven-day rolling average of daily new cases increased from about 6,323 on Dec. 25 to around 9,426 on Friday as the rolling average of daily deaths rose from 84.3 to 131.9, according to data from Johns Hopkins University and The COVID Tracking Project.

MAP: Arizona Coronavirus cases by zip code

With the current surge straining the state’s health care system, there were 4,920 COVID-19 patients occupying inpatient beds as of Friday.

In another development, the organization that governs Arizona high school sports announced Friday that its leadership approved a medical advisory panel’s recommendation to cancel the winter sports season due to the surge and large number of COVID-19-related hospitalizations.

"We do not see the situation improving very quickly," said Toni Corona, president of the executive board of the Arizona Interscholastic Association.

Dr. Cara Christ, the state’s top health official, on Friday said she expected another large spike tied to New Year’s gatherings and travel, similar to those that followed other holidays.

"Three to five days after Christmas and Christmas Eve were our highest days yet," Christ, head of the Department of Health Services, said during a virtual briefing. "So, we know that people got together and that they let their guard down."

Arizona is entering the next phase of the state’s vaccination plan.

Maricopa and Pima counties, the two most populous, are about to start vaccinating teachers, first responders and those age 75 and older.

Several other counties already have expanded vaccine eligibility and begun registering those groups. Health care workers and people who live or work at long-term care facilities were in the first phase of the vaccine rollout, which began last month.

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Associated Press writer Terry Tang in Phoenix contributed to this report.

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