Arizona hospitals halt some patient transfers

Rise in coronavirus cases leads to temporary suspension

PHOENIX, Ariz. - The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) Wednesday suspended the transfer of patients from other states due to the rising number of coronavirus cases statewide.

ADHS says out-of-state hospitals can still transfer patients into Arizona through direct hospital-to-hospital requests, but the interstate Surge Line system has been suspended until hospital occupancy begins to drop again.

Virus-related hospitalizations now top 2,200, with more than 500 in intensive care units across the state.

New coronavirus cases climbed by nearly 4,000 on Thursday. Deaths climbed by nine. Since the start of the pandemic more than 310,000 have contracted the virus. It's killed more than 6,500 Arizonans.