Arizona on Friday reported over 3,300 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases and four more deaths as the number of virus-related hospitalizations decreased slightly.
The State Health Department dashboard also reported that 2,500 coronavirus patients occupied hospital inpatient beds as of Thursday, down from the current surge’s high of nearly 2,600 on Tuesday.
According to Johns Hopkins University data, Arizona’s seven-day rolling average of daily new cases rose over the past two weeks by about 600.
The Navajo Nation has reported 72 new COVID-19 cases and nine deaths as of Thursday.
The tribe is urging residents on the vast reservation to limit in-person gatherings to help prevent the spread of the virus during the Thanksgiving holiday.
In all, more than 39,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,536 deaths from the virus have been reported by the tribe since the pandemic began.
Meanwhile, a surge of COVID-19 cases is overwhelming hospitals in southeastern Arizona.
Cochise County say hospitals were low on resources, struggling with nurse shortages and that patients without COVID-19 were facing long waits to be transferred to larger hospitals.
Patients without COVID-19 are facing waits of 48 to 96 hours to be transferred to large hospitals in Tucson. Earlier this week, hospital leaders and public health officials across Arizona pleaded for people to get vaccinated and take other precautions avoid spreading the coronavirus.
On Thursday, Arizona reported nearly 3,400 new COVID-19 cases and 75 deaths from the virus.