Arizona on Tuesday reported more than 10,000 new COVID-19 cases and 48 additional fatalities, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS).
The 10,322 cases posted Tuesday brings Arizona’s totals to 337,139 COVID-19 infections and 6,687 deaths since the outset of the pandemic, according to the ADHS.
ADHS Director Cara Christ said the unusually high total, which doubled the state’s previous record, was due to a delay in the process of reviewing and reporting results to health officials over Thanksgiving weekend.
“While today’s higher numbers have a simple explanation due to the long weekend, the numbers are still trending in a concerning direction, especially considering that the number of holiday parties and gatherings are expected to increase over the next few weeks,” Christ wrote in a blog post Tuesday.
The state, particularly Maricopa County, is also seeing record hospital admissions.
Maricopa County, which include Phoenix, accounts for 213,121 total cases since the outset of the pandemic, the most of any county in the state.
KTAR News reported the number of Arizona’s confirmed or suspected COVID-19 hospital patients was 2,594 Monday, marking a 17 percent increase in the past week and the most since July 26.
In her blog post, Christ said the increased cases and hospitalization rate “show that COVID-19 is still actively circulating and dangerous.”
“It highlights the need for Arizonans to continue taking important prevention steps … wearing a mask when out in public, staying physically distanced from people who are not in your household, washing your hands frequently, avoiding large gatherings, and staying home when sick,” she added.