Arizona reports 3,924 additional COVID-19 cases, 93 more deaths

Omicron variant was likely in Arizona before first reported case on Dec. 8: health expert

Executive Director for the Arizona Public Health Association, Will Humble, says, "It's definitely been here for a while. There's no way that this thing just showed up today."

PHOENIX - Arizona on Dec. 10 reported nearly 4,000 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases and nearly 100 more deaths as rolling averages for both pandemic metrics increased over the past two weeks.

The additional 3,924 cases and 93 deaths increased the state’s pandemic totals to 1,309,184 cases and 22,947 deaths, according to the Department of Health Services’ coronavirus dashboard.

According to Johns Hopkins University data, the seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Arizona rose from 3,931.6 on Nov. 24 to 4,043.6 on Wednesday.

The rolling average of daily deaths rose from 52.1 to 67.3 during the same period.

The state’s dashboard said 2,770 COVID-19 patients occupied hospital inpatient beds as of Thursday, down from the current surge’s peak of 2,800 earlier this week.

MORE: Coronavirus in Arizona: Latest case numbers

In order to protect yourself from a possible infection, the CDC recommends:

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
Monitor your health daily

Symptoms for coronavirus COVID-19 include fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. These, of course, are similar to the common cold and flu.

Expect a common cold to start out with a sore or scratchy throat, cough, runny and/or stuffy nose. Flu symptoms are more intense and usually come on suddenly, and can include a high fever.

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.

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.