Arizona hospitals continue to fill with coronavirus patients
Gov. Ducey addressed response during press conference Thursday afternoon
PHOENIX, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - A stead influx of new coronavirus patients continues to push Arizona's hospital to the brink. The Arizona Department of Health Services (AZDHS) says the state is setting new records for virus-related hospitalizations, and for the use of ventilators.
AZDHS confirmed more than 4,000 new cases across the state Thursday morning, bringing the statewide total to more than 12,000. Health officials also reported 75 more deaths from the virus. That raises the death toll past 2,000.
The state also reports a 27% positivity rate for the past seven-day period. That means more than a quarter of the Arizonans tested, are infected.
As a result, hospitals are filling up quickly. Here's a look at the latest statistics on bed space:
Arizona Hospital Statistics - Thursday, July 9, 2020
| Patents currently hospitalized | 4,298 |
| ICU bed capacity | 89% |
| Inpatient bed capacity | 87% |
On Thursday, Governor Doug Ducey announced the latest data on hospital beds statewide.
“This [graph] shows you where we are in terms of hospital beds, rising," the Governor said.
“Same with intensive care unit hospital beds for COVID-19, an increase in COVID-19 usage,” Ducey added.
In our Nation’s Capital, its a different story regarding Arizona’s hospital capacity. Vice President Mike Pence singing a different tune.
“Texas, Arizona, Florida, and California - have received encouraging reports even through this morning. Strong supplies of bp and hospitals, hospital capacity remains strong the one need that we did hear from governors across the region is for personnel,” VP Pence said.
Dr. Deborah Brix, the top doctor on the White House's Coronavirus Task Force says, they are keeping an eye on three counties - including Yuma.
"The counties that we're tracking obviously the largest county being Maricopa County with the largest number of infections, but clearly there's issues in Yuma and Pima.”
That’s why health officials, yet again, encouraging us all to do our part to stop the spread.
