ARIZONA, USA — The 7-day average of reported COVID-19 deaths in Arizona continues to rise as ICU and inpatient bed use begins to plateau, according to data published by the Arizona Department of Health Services.
The state reported a 7-day death average of 175.57 on Jan. 13, by far the highest death average the state has seen since the beginning of the pandemic.
There have been minimal changes in the numbers of hospital beds in use by COVID-19 patients and ventilators in use across the state, signaling a plateau similar to what was seen during the previous peak in late June and early July of 2020.
The 7-day average of cases and deaths, as well as ICU bed use, inpatient bed use and ventilators seen in the past two weeks since Dec. 28 are visualized in the five graphs below.
The data was found on the Arizona Department of Health Services' coronavirus data dashboard. The data in the five graphs below and more COVID-19 statistics can be seen on the department's website here.
129%: Increase in 7-day death average
The 7-day average number of deaths better demonstrates the increase in the number of people reportedly dying due to complications related to the virus compared to the daily number of deaths.
This average has seen a 129% increase since Dec. 28. The average has increased 953% since Oct. 1, when multiple COVID-19 metrics began to spike for the second time in Arizona.
The 7-day average reported on Jan. 13 at 175.57 is the highest 7-day death average the state has seen since the beginning of the pandemic.
20%: Increase in 7-day case average
The 7-day average number of cases better demonstrates the increase in the number of people reportedly testing positive for the virus compared to the daily number of cases.
This average has seen a 20% increase since Dec. 28. The average has increased 1,440% since Oct. 1, when multiple COVID-19 metrics began to spike for the second time in Arizona.
The 7-day average reported on Jan. 12 at 9,803.71 is the highest COVID-19 case average the state has ever seen.
4%: Increase in number of ICU beds in use by COVID-19 patients
ICU beds in use by COVID-19 patients in Arizona looks to be plateauing, with a 4% rise in bed use over the past three weeks.
For context, that number is still 778% higher than the amount of ICU beds in use by COVID-19 patients at the beginning of October, around when cases began to spike again.
This number reported on Jan. 11 at 1,183 is the most amount of ICU beds being used by COVID-19 patients the state has ever seen.
ICU COVID-19 bed usage in the state is at 61%, while total ICU bed usage is at 93%.
6%: Increase in number of inpatient beds in use by COVID-19 patients
Inpatient beds in use by COVID-19 patients in Arizona also looks to be plateauing, with a 6% rise in bed use over the past three weeks.
For context, that number is 711% higher than the amount of beds in use by COVID-19 patients at the beginning of October.
This number reported on Jan. 11 at 5,082 is the highest number of inpatient beds in use by COVID-19 patients ever seen.
Inpatient beds in use by COVID-19 patients is at 55% and total inpatient bed usage is at 92%.
5%: Increase in total ventilators in use
The total number of ventilators in use in Arizona looks to be hitting a plateau as well, according to the ADHS website, with only a 5% increase since Dec. 28.
That number is 209% higher than the numbers of ventilators in use at the beginning of October.
This number reported on Jan. 12 at 1374 is the highest number of ventilators in use ever seen in Arizona. The percent of the state's ventilators in use is at 52%.
Hospital-specific metrics showed an 11% ventilator-use increase, from 720 reported on Dec. 28 to 797 reported on Jan. 18.
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