Arizona passes 50K confirmed COVID cases

PHOENIX — Arizona has now passed the 50,000 mark in confirmed COVID-19 cases.

The state Department of Health Services reported 2,592 additional cases as of Sunday, increasing the statewide total to 52,390.

Health officials also reported one more known death, pushing Arizona’s total so far to 1,339.

The state’s surge in additional cases this week set daily records for hospitalizations, ventilator use and use of intensive care beds for coronavirus patients.

Arizona set a daily new-case record of 3,246 on Friday. There were 3,109 cases reported Saturday preceded by 2,519 Thursday and 2,392 Tuesday.

The state has emerged as a COVID-19 national hot spot since Republican Gov. Doug Ducey lifted his stay-home orders in mid-May.

Health officials have attributed the new cases to increased testing and to community spread of the virus.

Saying that data trends were headed in the wrong direction, Ducey on Wednesday reversed himself and allowed local governments to impose requirements for people to wear masks in public to curtail spread of the virus. Most cities and counties have done that.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

But for some — especially older adults and people with existing health problems — it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.