Maricopa County Department of Public Health data is showing the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations is flattening, according to officials.

They likely attribute this to protective measures individuals and the community are taking to slow the spread of disease and is a signal to the community to keep doing what they are doing.

“This is exactly why the Governor put protective measures in place,” said Dr. Rebecca Sunenshine, medical director for disease control at Maricopa County Department of Public Health. “Flattening the curve allows hospitals to have the resources to care for everyone who becomes sick. The challenge is that for the curve to remain flat and eventually slope down, we cannot relax our social distancing measures yet.”

Dr. Sunenshine reminded that the hospitalization epi curve shows the most accurate trends of disease in the county because people who are hospitalized have had access to testing from the beginning. Unlike the epi curve for cases, these trends are not affected by the availability of testing in the community, according to a release.

As a reminder, an epi curve is a public health tool used frequently in outbreaks that visualizes how many cases occur over time. It is not a model for predicting future cases or hospitalizations.

A hospitalization epi curve looks specifically at those who are hospitalized, showing the trends of the most severe cases and allowing epidemiologists — public health experts who assess health data at the community level — to estimate the number of milder cases occurring when there is not enough testing available.

In addition to the hospitalization epi curve, officials have also looked closely at the specific chronic health conditions in people with severe disease from COVID-19. Data from hospitalized patients in Maricopa County shows hypertension or high blood pressure is by far the most common chronic medical condition for both people who have tested positive and for those who are hospitalized. This is followed by diabetes and heart disease.

Maricopa County data is consistent with the data reported from China and other countries about which conditions are found in people with COVID-19 who suffer more severe disease, according to the release.

Dr. Sunenshine also commented on recent ZIP code data released by the Arizona Department of Health Services and how it could be interpreted for Maricopa County.

MAP: Cases of COVID-19 by ZIP code

“The one thing I want our residents to take away from this ZIP code map is whether you see five cases or 50 cases in your ZIP code, we can assure you that COVID-19 is circulating throughout the county, and you need to take the same precautions to prevent illness,” she said. “This means staying home as much as you can, staying 6 feet away from others outside your home and washing your hands routinely. And check in on seniors and those with chronic medical conditions to see if they need support.”

Social distancing is avoiding those outside of your household as much as possible and maintaining at least 6 feet of distance between others when you are out in public. A few examples of acceptable activities while practicing social distancing include:

• Phone calls and video chats
• Walks around your neighborhood while keeping 6 feet between you and others
• Virtual book clubs
• Online workouts
• Video chats over coffee or meals to replace having coffee or meals together in-person

If you think you might be sick with COVID-19 or have been exposed to COVID-19, please immediately isolate yourself from others in your household. Symptoms include:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Body aches
• Sore throat

If you are sick, have been around someone who is sick, or are caring for someone who is sick, visit www.maricopa.gov/5512/Sick-or-Exposed-to-COVID-19 for details on what you can do to protect yourself and those around you.

For more information on COVID-19 and what you can do to stop the spread, visit here for English or here for Spanish.