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COVID-19 hospitalizations in Arizona have been dropping

By Greg Hahne
Published: Tuesday, January 3, 2023 - 9:39am

A positive COVID-19 test
KJZZ
A COVID-19 home test.

State data shows that COVID-19 cases have been dropping in recent weeks — but some experts say that is not always reliable.

Arizona Public Health Association Executive Director Will Humble, for instance, says that most people take rapid tests and don’t report them.

He says hospitalizations are a more accurate gauge to follow transmission of the virus.

"The number of new admissions in the seven-day moving average of hospitalizations has been going down for about three or four weeks now. So, the  peak was really in mid-December for COVID infections that resulted in hospitalizations," Humble said. 

However, Humble added the percentage of people hospitalized with COVID-19 is higher than those with influenza. 

Arizona coronavirus cases, deaths

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