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The number of hospitalized COVID cases continues to decline from July peaks. ADHS reported that as of Oct. 1, 586 COVID patients were hospitalized in the state. The number of hospitalized COVID patients peaked at 3,517 on July 13.

A total of 760 people visited emergency rooms on Oct. 1 with COVID symptoms. That number peaked at 2,008 on July 7.

A total of 125 COVID-19 patients were in intensive care unit beds on Oct. 1. The number of COVID patients in ICUs peaked at 970 on July 13.

On a week-by-week basis in Pima County, the number of positive COVID tests peaked the week ending July 4 with 2,453 cases, according to a Sept. 29 report from the Pima County Health Department. While a vocal minority continues to insist that masks do no good, the spread of the virus began to decline within weeks of Pima County’s mask mandate, as more people began wearing them in public, although the level of new cases has creeped back up in recent weeks with the return of UA students. For the week ending Aug. 29, 569 new cases were reported; for the week ending Sept. 5, a total of 859 cases were reported; for the week ending Sept. 12, 1,102 cases were reported; for the week ending Sept. 19, 1,203 cases were reported; and for the week ending Sept. 26, 470 cases were reported. (Recent weeks are subject to revision.)

Deaths in Pima County are down from a peak of 55 in the week ending July 4 to 19 for the week ending Aug. 15, 13 in the week ending Aug. 22, 10 in the week ending Aug. 29, zero in the week ending Sept. 5, two in the week ending Sept. 12 and two in the week ending Sept. 19. (Recent weeks are subject to revision.)

Hospitalization peaked the week ending July 18 with 234 COVID patients admitted to Pima County hospitals. In the week ending Aug. 29, 37 COVID patients were admitted to Pima County hospitals; in the week ending Sept. 5, 25 patients were admitted to Pima County hospitals; in the week ending Sept. 12, 19 patients were admitted; in the week ending Sept. 19, 14 patients were admitted; and in the week ending Sept. 26, five people were admitted. (Numbers are subject to revision.)

Trump tests positive for coronavirus

President Donald Trump announced via Twitter last night that he and First Lady Melania Trump had both tested positive for COVID-19.

“Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19,” Trump said. “We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!”

White House officials said the President and First Lady were suffering mild symptoms.

The diagnosis may require Trump, who has frequently downplayed the risk of catching the virus and who has dismissed the idea of wearing masks to limit COVID’s spread, to self-quarantine with less than five weeks left in the presidential campaign. A planned visit to Tucson and Flagstaff next week is expected to be canceled as a result.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said he and his wife Jill Biden wished the president a “swift recovery” via Twitter.

“Jill and I send our thoughts to President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump for a swift recovery,” Biden tweeted. “We will continue to pray for the health and safety of the president and his family.”

Final Arizona counties hit benchmarks indicated moderate spread of the virus

As of yesterday, all Arizona counties have reached the status of “moderate spread” of the coronavirus, meaning most businesses can reopen with restrictions.

Graham County was the last Arizona county that had not yet hit the benchmark.

See details here.

Get tested: Pima County has several testing centers, UA offering antibody testing

Pima County has three free testing centers with easy-to-schedule appointments—often with same-day availability—with results in 24 to 72 hours.

You’ll have a nasal swab test at the Kino Event Center, 2805 E. Ajo Way, and the Udall Center, 7200 E. Tanque Verde Road. The center at the northside Ellie Towne Flowing Wells Community Center, 1660 W. Ruthrauff Road, involves a saliva test designed by ASU.

Schedule an appointment at pima.gov/covid19testing.

The centers are also tied into Pima County’s developing contact tracing operation, which aims to be able to identify potential clusters and warn people if they have been in contact with someone who is COVID-positive.

The University of Arizona’s antibody testing has been opened to all Arizonans as the state attempts to get a handle on how many people have been exposed to COVID-19 but were asymptomatic or otherwise did not get a test while they were ill.

To sign up for testing, visit https://covid19antibodytesting.arizona.edu/home.

—with additional reporting from Nicole Ludden, Austin Counts, Jeff Gardner and Mike Truelsen