Arizona reports 1,961 new COVID-19 cases, 1 new death

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona health officials are reporting 1,961 new COVID-19 cases and one new death. It’s the first time this month the daily new-case count has been under 2,000. The state Department of Public Health Services released the latest virus figures Monday, which now have Arizona at a total of 1,266,809 cases and 22,230 deaths. Hospitalizations hit a new peak with 2,581 people in hospital beds due to COVID-19 as of Sunday. The current surge’s last peak was 2,574 last week. Public health experts worry about a major rise in cases and hospitalizations in the weeks following Thanksgiving, where more people with mixed vaccination status gathered indoors.