Arizona reports 1,367 new COVID-19 cases, 55 more deaths
PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona is reporting 1,367 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases and 55 more deaths.
The latest figures reported March 12 by the state Department of Health Services come after Arizona had three days of daily case numbers under 1,000.
The state’s pandemic totals now stand at 831,832 cases and 16,519 deaths.
The number of hospitalizations for the virus also continues to make incremental decreases. As of Thursday, 831 patients were in the hospital for COVID-19. Of those, 236 occupied the ICU.
The number of infections is thought to be far higher than reported because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday that Arizona ranked seventh in the nation for COVID-19 deaths per capita over the last seven days with 4.3 deaths daily per 100,000 people.
Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear more slowly. They usually include fever, a dry cough and noticeable shortness of breath, according to the World Health Organization. A minority of cases develop pneumonia, and the disease is especially worrisome for the elderly and those with other medical problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes or heart conditions.
RELATED: Is it the flu, a cold or COVID-19? Different viruses present similar symptoms
To protect yourself, wash your hands well and often, keep them away from your face, and avoid crowds and standing close to people.
And if you do find yourself showing any of these flu or coronavirus symptoms - don't go straight to your doctor's office. That just risks making more people sick, officials urge. Call ahead, and ask if you need to be seen and where.
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