July deadliest COVID-19 month yet in Arizona

Despite the downward trend in new COVID-19 cases that began early in the month, July still recorded the highest monthly totals for new cases and deaths since documentation on the novel coronavirus began in January.

The Arizona Department of Health Services shows the state finished off the month of July with 2,992 new positive tests for COVID-19, and 53 deaths. That pushes the state’s cumulative totals to 177,002 positive tests and 3,747 deaths.

For the month ending July 31, Arizona added 92,930 new positive tests and 1,977 deaths. That compares with 63,920 new COVID-19 cases and 803 deaths in June. In May, Arizona gained 12,475 new cases and 597 deaths, according to ADHS.

In May, Arizona averaged 415 new COVID-19 cases daily. In June, the daily average skyrocketed to 2,130 new cases each day. In July, Arizona averaged 2,997 new coronavirus cases each day this month.

Arizona has not come close to duplicating the single-day high of 5,416 cases reported June 29. Not since July 9 has the state had 4,000 or more new cases in a 24-hour reporting period.

Arizona hospital Intensive Care Units are currently at 86% capacity, according to ADHS. The state’s positive-test ratio stands at 12.6%.