By Mark Carlisle
Twitter: @mwcarlisle

County public health data showed high numbers of new coronavirus cases but a low number of virus deaths Thursday.

Data from the Maricopa County Department of Public Health reported 333 new cases of COVID-19 Thursday and six new deaths. Only eight of the past 28 days have topped Thursday’s new case tally. In the last week, new case numbers have been oscillating from high to low each day with a general trend upwards. Death numbers, on the other hand, have been gradually declining over the past week. New virus cases and virus deaths often trend in different directions because deaths are a lagging indicator. Deaths do not reflect the new case numbers recorded on the same day but usually better reflect the new case numbers from two or three weeks ago.

County cases and deaths have returned nearly to the levels they were at before the county’s summer surge. COVD-19 cases peaked in the county in late June and early July, according to county public health data, reaching 3,825 cases in a day on June 29. In recent days, cases have been trending slightly upward. The county’s seven-day daily average of new cases was 196 on Friday, Sept. 11 and increased to 280 by Sunday, Sept. 20, the biggest increase since mid-July when the county began to decline from its surge. That statistic has flattened out since then, landing at 281 on Wednesday, Sept. 24, the most recent day of complete data.

The county’s surge in coronavirus-related deaths has lagged a couple weeks after the surge in cases, as is typical with COVID-19 reporting. The county’s worst single-day death total was 66 on July 15. Daily death totals have recently declined to the level they were at before the county’s surge. In the most recent day of complete data, Monday, Sept. 14, the seven-day daily average was eight deaths a day. The seven-day death average has remained below 10 for 11 days, the first time since early June.

Mark Carlisle
Associate Editor | Phoenix
@mwcarlisle

mcarlisle@iniusa.org

Meet Mark

Mark Carlisle joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2017, covering Glendale. He has since moved to the Daily Independent team, primarily covering the city of Phoenix along with other topics affecting the Valley at-large.

Community: Mark enjoys taking his young son to BabyTime at the Phoenix Public Library, to the OdySea Aquarium and to various sporting events around the Valley.

Education: Chapman University with a BA in English Journalism and one in Screenwriting.

Random Fact: Mark worked at a tuxedo shop in college. Just don’t ask him to tie a bowtie.

 

Hobbies: Spending time with his wife, son and dog, watching sports and TV shows, listening to audiobooks and occasionally writing fiction or designing a board game.