With 423 new cases reported today, the total number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 835,000 as of Friday, March 19, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Pima County, which reported 75 new cases today, has seen 111,582 of the state’s 834,607 confirmed cases.
With 46 new deaths reported this morning, a total of 16,691 Arizonans have died after contracting COVID-19, including 2,322 deaths in Pima County, according to the March 19 report.
A total of 686 coronavirus patients were in the hospital as of March 18. That’s roughly 13% of the number hospitalized at the peak of the winter surge, which reached 5,082 on Jan. 11. The summer peak was 3,517, which was set on July 13, 2020. The subsequent lowest number of hospitalized COVID patients was 468, set on Sept. 27, 2020.
A total of 958 people visited emergency rooms with COVID-like symptoms on March 18. That number represents 40% of the record high of 2,341 set on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020. That number had peaked during the summer wave at 2,008 on July 7, 2020; it hit a subsequent low of 653 on Sept. 28, 2020.
A total of 184 COVID-19 patients were in intensive care unit beds on March 18, which is just under 16% of the record 1,183 ICU patients set on Jan. 11. The summer’s record number of patients in ICU beds was 970, set on July 13, 2020. The subsequent low was 114 on Sept. 22, 2020.
How to get a vaccine
The Arizona Department of Health Services announced yesterday that it would open roughly 12,000 appointments today at 11 a.m. for vaccine shots next week at the state POD at the University of Arizona. You can register for your appointments at pod vaccine.azdhs.gov, and those who need assistance can call 1-844-542-8201.
To find out if you are eligible for a vaccine, visit the Arizona Department of Health website.
Pima County and the state of Arizona are providing vaccination appointments to people 55 and older as well as frontline workers, educators, first responders and healthcare workers. Those who qualify in Pima County’s priority group of eligible vaccine recipients can register for a vaccine at www.pima.gov/covid19vaccineregistration or by calling 520-222-0119.
Many local pharmacies are now receiving vaccine doses. To find one near you, visit the ADHS website.
More than a million Arizonans are now fully vaccinated against COVID, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
More than 1.73 million Arizonans have at least one shot of the vaccine.
A total of 241,856 Pima County residents have received at least one vaccine shot and 163,292 residents are fully vaccinated as of today, according to ADHS.
Between the state POD, the county PODs and private pharmacies, the county is now receiving between 40,000 and 50,000 doses a week, according to Pima County spokesman Mark Evans.
ADHS will now announce on Wednesdays via Twitter, @AZDHS and Facebook the approximate number of first-dose appointments available. The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) will release those new COVID-19 vaccination appointments every Friday.
Get tested: Pima County has free COVID testing
Pima County is continuing to offer a number of testing centers around town.
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 these or other drive-thru or pop-up sites at pima.gov/covid19testing.
The University of Arizona’s antibody testing can determine if you have had COVID and now have antibodies. To sign up for testing, visit https://covid19antibodytesting.arizona.edu/home.
—with additional reporting from Austin Counts, Christina Duran, Jeff Gardner and Mike Truelsen
