Arizona exceeds 70,000 COVID-19 positives by adding new records
Arizona, one of the US states the most suffering these days a rebound of coronavirus, this Saturday exceeded 70,000 positives by adding 3,591 new cases of coronavirus, which jeopardizes the ability of their hospitals to cope with the outbreak.
The state equaled the figure reached last Tuesday, which was the sixth day with more than 3,000 new cases in the last nine days, bringing the total this Saturday to 70,051.
To the 3,591 new cases, we must add the 44 new deaths from COVID-19, which brings the total number of deaths due to the pandemic to 1,579, according to data from the state Department of Health.
This complicates the situation of hospitals, which on Friday had 86% of the total beds and 87% of the intensive care units (ICU) occupied.
Along with the number of patients hospitalized for the disease, which was 2,577, which is a new record, the other concern lies in the gradual increase in the use of ventilators by the most seriously ill patients, which stood at 433, a new maximum, although still with margin, being at 55% of the total.
Last Thursday, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey acknowledged that hospitals' ability to serve new patients was nearing its limit.
Ducey said they expect the numbers to "get worse next week and the next week," and that Arizona faces a few days of "challenges."
For this reason, he asked the population to stay at home as much as possible to try to reduce the spread of contagion in the region, one of the most punished in the last two weeks, like the southern and western regions of the country, although it did not review its plan to reopen the local economy.
The governor, who has been criticized for his refusal to reverse his business opening measures, participated this week in a campaign act by President Donald Trump, who refused to wear a mask during his visit to the state despite doing his meeting in a space closed.
