Arizona cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, now exceed 2,700, with 80 known deaths, according to new numbers released Wednesday by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

The total identified cases in Arizona are 2,726, according to the most recent state figures. That's an increase of 151 confirmed cases, or 6%, since Tuesday when the state reported 2,575 identified cases and 73 deaths.

Maricopa County's confirmed cases now approach 1,600. All of Arizona's 15 counties have at least one recorded case.

The number of Arizona cases is likely much higher than official numbers suggest. People have reported trouble getting tested, as health professionals confront confusion over who to test and face a lack of testing supplies.

As of Wednesday morning, Maricopa County recorded 37 deaths related to COVID-19. Pima County had 15 known deaths and Coconino had 14, according to the respective county websites. Pinal County announced Wednesday two deaths of men in their 70s and 80s with underlying health conditions. Navajo County and Mohave County each reported one death, both people in their 60s with underlying conditions.

Maricopa County’s Health Department provided more detailed information on its cases. The state’s database shows the county has 1,559 cases, while the county’s website says it has 1,556 confirmed as of Wednesday morning. Of the 1,556 cases, county numbers show:

Confirmed cases increased by 62 from Tuesday to Wednesday.

The cases are 51% men and 49% women.

87 cases and 15 deaths have been linked to long-term care facilities. This is an increase in 10 cases and two deaths from Tuesday.

Thirty-eight people under age 19 have tested positive.

People aged 20 to 44 make up 39% of positive cases, followed by people 45-64 years old at 36% and people over age 65 at 23%.

20%, or 318 cases, have been hospitalized. This is 30 more than Tuesday.

7%, or 103 cases, have been in the intensive care unit. This is nine more than Tuesday. The hospitalization and ICU numbers include any case that was in the hospital or ICU at any time during their illness, the county says.

The likelihood of being hospitalized or in the ICU increases with age. Of those aged 20-44, 59 were hospitalized and 15 were in the ICU. For people aged 45-64, 113 were hospitalized and 39 were in the ICU. Among those over age 65, there were 145 hospitalized and 49 in the ICU.

Thirty-seven people have died in Maricopa County. Of those, eight were aged 45-64 and 29 were over age 65.

Cases rise in other counties

According to Wednesday's state update, Pima County had 464 identified cases. Navajo County had 240 cases, while Coconino had 186. Pinal County had 124, Yavapai County had 58, Apache County had 34, and Yuma County had 14. Officials in Yuma County, however, reported its cases at 16 on Tuesday afternoon.

Mohave County had 23 cases, according to the state numbers. The county on Saturday reported its first COVID-19 related death in a person over the age of 65 with underlying health conditions, a press release said.

Cochise County had nine cases, Santa Cruz County had six, La Paz and Gila counties had three each and Graham County had two, according to state numbers. Greenlee County recorded one case.

All counties but Cochise, La Paz, Gila, Graham and Greenlee saw an increase in their cases from Tuesday.

The Arizona Republic contacted all 15 counties for numbers on hospitalizations, which is only available online for Maricopa County. Yuma County will not provide the information, and Navajo County and Apache County say they do not have the information.The data includes all cases ever hospitalized, not just current hospitalizations:

Pima County: 81 known hospitalizations and 28 in the ICU as of Sunday.

Pinal County: 19 known hospitalizations and 5 in the ICU as of Tuesday.

Yavapai County: six known hospitalizations as of Monday.

Cochise County: three known hospitalizations as of Monday.

Mohave County: one known hospitalization as of March 31.

Graham, Santa Cruz, La Paz, Gila and Greenlee counties: no known hospitalizations.

Two inmates in Arizona prisons tested positive for COVID-19, Arizona Department of Corrections officials confirmed on Tuesday. One is receiving treatment at a community hospital and the other is at the Marana Community Correctional Treatment Facility. The Corrections Department stated that 60 inmates have been tested, with 48 testing negative and 10 pending in addition to the two men who tested positive.

The White Mountain Apache Tribe announced its first identified positive case of COVID-19 on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation northeast of Phoenix. The person is a tribal member and is in isolation at the Whiteriver Indian Hospital, according to a release from the tribe.

The Pascua Yaqui tribe in southern Arizona had confirmed two coronavirus deaths last week.

Gila River Indian Community Governor Stephen Roe Lewis announced on Saturday evening its first COVID-19 related death. On Friday, their health care facilities had 12 positive tests, five from Gila River Indian Community members and seven from other tribes.

On March 30, Gov. Doug Ducey signed an executive order further stressing the need for Arizonans to stay home to slow the coronavirus spread, except for necessary trips. On April 3, he announced all hair and nail salons, as well as several other types of businesses, must close by 5 p.m. April 4, adding to the list of closed or restricted businesses.

Testing increasing slowly

The state Health Department website says both state and private laboratories have completed a total of 34,564 tests for COVID-19, according to the number posted Wednesday on the agency website.

During the week of March 22, 989 new cases were identified, compared with 1,105 new cases identified during the week of March 29, according to updated figures posted on Wednesday by DHS.

The state issued new guidance for testing on March 25 to primary care providers saying they should "consider removing this diagnostic 'tool' from their toolbox and managing patients with respiratory conditions as if they have COVID-19."

At a March 25 news conference, state Health Director Dr. Cara Christ said that if infections continue at their current pace, illnesses would peak in April and hospitalizations would peak in May.

"Arizona is still in the opening stages of its COVID-19 outbreak, and the number of cases within the state will increase significantly," Christ said.

The distribution of cases appears to align with the number of tests done. For instance, the age group with the highest percentage of cases, those aged 20 to 44, also are the age group that has had the most tests.

Most COVID-19 tests come back negative, the state's dashboard shows, with only 7% of tests coming back positive.

Of the statewide identified cases, 48% are men and 52% are women. Previously, the majority of cases were men.

State to expand data collection

Ducey on Tuesday issued an executive order requiring more data reporting to the state related to COVID-19.

Hospitals will now be required to report several new numbers to the state daily related to positive or suspected COVID-19 patients, including the:

Number of inpatients.

Number of ventilators in use.

Number of intensive care beds in use.

Number discharged from the facility per day.

Number seen in the emergency department per day.

Number of intubations performed per day for respiratory distress.

Estimated number of N95 masks, surgical masks, face shields and surgical gowns used per day.

Arizona hospitals are using 64% of the state's ICU capacity, 68% of its medical surgical beds and 25% of its ventilators, state officials announced on Tuesday.

And Christ said that the state Health Department's COVID-19 dashboard will be expanded Sunday with more data.

“This data will allow us to better prepare for our peak in cases and it will help us identify a better recovery rate for Arizonans affected by this disease,” Christ said.

Christ said the state doesn’t have the number of those who have recovered from COVID-19 because if the person was tested at a commercial lab and didn’t require follow-up care, their outcome isn’t known. Later, the state will match cases against data on deaths, which could assess how many recovered from the illness, Christ said.

“There’s not a great way to look at what a definition of recovered is,” she said.

Several city, county and state officials filed a lawsuit Friday asking the state to release general coronavirus data to local authorities and the public. The lawsuit asked that “all prior general and non-personally identifiable information” be released, such as the number of positive COVID-19 cases and deaths by ZIP code and date.

Arizona releases less COVID-19 data than many other states, a Republic analysis found.

Ducey issued three additional executive orders on Tuesday as well. One requires passengers flying in from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to self-quarantine for 14 days.

"This means that persons shall travel directly to their place of isolation or self-quarantine and only leave that location for essential services," the order says.

The other two address nursing homes and restaurant resales.

Maricopa County announced Monday it would prioritize personal protective equipment to long-term care facilities like nursing homes.

Navajo Nation cases and curfew

The Navajo Nation announced on Tuesday evening it had 426 identified cases, with 17 confirmed deaths. That's an increase in 42 cases from the previous day.

The 426 cases include portions of the Navajo Nation in the following counties in three states: 164 in Navajo County, 102 in Coconino County, 44 in Apache County in Arizona; 66 in San Juan County, 32 in McKinley County, eight in Cibola County, two in Socorro County and one in Bernalillo County in New Mexico; and seven in San Juan County in Utah.

More than 2,000 people have tested negative for COVID-19, according to a Tuesday press release from the Navajo Nation.

The Navajo Police Department began issuing citations and fines on Saturday for anyone who violates the "Stay at Home Order" and daily curfew that requires all residents to be home between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m.

"Before you consider going out for any reason, think of the well-being of your elders and your children. Be mindful that the numbers we are seeing are two to three days old due to the delay in test results for COVID-19," Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said. "We are demanding that rapid testing be offered immediately and that testing laboratories be established in our communities."

The curfew does not apply to essential employees traveling to or from work with official identification or a letter of designation from their employer.

Navajo Nation radio briefings are scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. on KTNN 660 AM and 101.5 FM.

Republic reporters Rachel Leingang, Maria Polletta and Shondiin Silversmith contributed to this story.

Reach the reporter at Alison.Steinbach@arizonarepublic.com or at 602-444-4282. Follow her on Twitter @alisteinbach.

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