Arizona reports 1,804 new COVID-19 cases and 25 more deaths
PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona health officials on Feb. 21 reported 1,804 new COVID-19 cases and 25 additional deaths.
The latest numbers increased the state’s pandemic totals to 807,967 cases and 15,505 known deaths.
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.
Like most states, Arizona has suffered through two waves of the coronavirus virus with the first one starting in mid-May.
Health officials said it took eight weeks for cases to start declining back then, and 16 weeks into the second wave to see new cases start to decrease.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control said Saturday that Arizona ranked third in the country for COVID-19 deaths per capita over the last seven days and 19th in cases.
Arizona led the nation in both categories at times in January.
The number of ICU beds used by COVID-19 patients around the state declined to 501 on Saturday, the fewest since Nov. 22.