Arizona reports 7,720 more coronavirus cases, most in a year

COVID-19 omicron surge leaves Arizona hospitals in need of antibody treatments

Some hospitals in the Phoenix metropolitan area have stopped administering monoclonal antibody treatments because of a supply shortage. FOX 10's Nicole Garcia reports.

PHOENIX - Arizona on Dec. 31 reported over 7,700 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases, the most reported on a single day since last January.

The 7,720 additional cases and 17 deaths reported by the state Department of Health Services’ coronavirus dashboard increased Arizona’s pandemic totals to 1,381,488 cases and 24,229 deaths.

The department said earlier in the week that some daily reports of additional cases would be larger than normal because of reporting delays over the Christmas holiday weekend.

MORE: Arizona hospital official: Avoid New Year’s gatherings amid omicron surge

The 7,720 cases reported Friday are more than two times the state’s latest seven-day rolling average of daily new cases derived from Johns Hopkins University data. That rolling average of 2,953.6 cases ran through Wednesday and didn’t include the 7,720 cases reported Friday or the 5,687 on Thursday.

Arizona reported over 8,000 additional cases on 13 days last January.

MORE: Coronavirus in Arizona: Latest case numbers

What is coronavirus?

From how it spreads to where it originated, here's a look at everything you need to know about the deadly contagion.

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.