PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona health officials are reporting more than 600 new COVID-19 cases and one additional death, inching the state’s total death toll close to 6,000.
The state Department of Health Services said the 666 cases reported Monday increases Arizona’s total to 248,139 since the coronavirus pandemic began with the known death toll now at 5,982.
The latest numbers are a sharp drop from Saturday, when health officials reported the biggest spikes in months with 1,901 new cases and 45 deaths. However, numbers tend to be lower on Mondays as hospitals sometimes lag in reporting during the weekend.
Saturday’s reported rise in the number of confirmed infections was the largest single-day increase since Aug. 1, following increases that have been growing over the past few days.
The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected without feeling sick.
Arizona was a national COVID-19 hot spot in June and July. Infections and related hospitalizations declined before beginning to gradually increase again in September.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.
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