The end of the state’s COVID-19 Declaration of Emergency means changes to three entries on our weekly COVID-19 Data Dashboard that have relied on information reported by hospitals.

Starting with this week’s update, the graphs under Hospital Bed Usage and Availability, Hospital COVID-19 Specific Metrics, and Ventilator Usage and Availability will no longer be updated.

With the end of the emergency declaration, a surveillance order through which this information was reported to ADHS is no longer in effect.

ADHS continues working closely with our hospitals to monitor and respond to trends.

COVID-19 hospitalizations, COVID-like illness, and flu-like illness continue to be reported on the dashboard based on information provided by hospitals.

Hospitalizations associated with COVID-19 have fallen dramatically from the omicron variant peak in January.

COVID-like Illness among those visiting emergency rooms or admitted to the hospital is below the baseline of 2% that ADHS established as a measure of the current outbreak period.

In addition, COVID-19 cases fell to 1,936 during the week of March 27-April 2, down 99% from 151,312 cases during the week of Jan. 9-15.

With the COVID-19 Declaration of Emergency ending, there are normal changes in operations as public health transitions to its traditional role of disease surveillance, prevention and control.

These changes to the dashboard reflect that.

We appreciate how much Arizonans have come to rely on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard.

That’s why I wanted to make sure you know about these changes and the reason for them.

Editor’s note: Don Herrington interim director of the Arizona Department of Health Services. Visit azdhs.gov.