By BrieAnna J. Frank | Arizona Republic
Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 34,400 cases with 1,183 known deaths, according to numbers released on Saturday by the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Arizona’s total identified cases rose to 34,458 on Saturday, according to the most recent state figures. That’s an increase of 1,540 confirmed cases, or 4.7%, since Friday.
Ducey focused his news briefing on Thursday on hospital capacity — saying that although positive COVID-19 cases have been increasing, Arizona’s hospitals are fully prepared to handle more patients.
Arizona’s sharp increases over the past two weeks, particularly the spikes in positive cases, have raised questions and alarm locally and nationally about whether the state has done enough to slow the spread and what other precautions may be necessary.
